Briefing Paper 9. Social Protection and Internal Migration in Bangladesh: Supporting the Poorest

Abstract

This briefing shows how migration exacerbates the difficulties that many people already face in accessing formal social protection, such as additional income or food. However, it also shows how migration itself can facilitate access to an informal form of social protection for poorer households, even if this is risky and does not always lead to positive outcomes. It also argues that rather than focusing on improving migrants access to formal social protection, which in any case is often inaccessible to the poorest households, more could be done to ensure that the effects of migration on informal social protection are secured and enhanced. This include supporting those left behind, so that they can really benefit from the social protection effects of migration and improving living conditions for migrants while they are away