A virtual contradiction between international migration and human rights

Abstract If there is a geographical area that will be particularly affected by the tragedy of September 11, that will be the international borders of the United States. It is understandable that a country that enters in a state of war after been attacked with enormous losses, reacts by closing its international borders. Such immediate reaction has now been substituted by a more strict control over everything that crosses the border but, a fact remains, the border life is not going to be what it used to before September 11. In the short run, everything that crosses the border has slowed down by new controls. In the long run many things will return to what it was before that Tuesday, but for a long while, life at the border will not be the same. An intense interaction of more than twelve million people from the two sides of the U.S.-Mexico border have made us live in many instances as if the border does not exist. This is the case among many of us in the way we practice our family life. For the planning of weddings, birthdays, reunions, ceremonies, the border is more virtual than real. This is reversed as we get more serious in what it means to the space where institutions, the laws and the governments reminds us that there is a line that marks the beginning and the end of two different nations.

Children and international migration in Latin America and the Caribbean

Child migration in the region has many contradictory aspects, as reported in the feature article of this bulletin. On the positive side, there are better educational opportunities in countries of destination and, in countries of origin, greater well-being thanks to remittances; greater protection gained by migrating away from situations of violence and social risk; and new horizons for broadening life experiences. On the negative side, there are precariousness and heightened family environment risks when the parents migrate and the children are left behind in the care of others; exposure to abuse and violation of rights during migratory processes; and possibly lower citizen status in receiving countries.

Investigación de la migración internacional en Latinoamérica (IMILA) = Investigation of international migration in Latin America (IMILA)

Publicación bilingüe (Español e inglés)

Migración internacional en Latinoamérica (IMILA) = International migration in Latin America (IMILA)

Publicación bilingüe (Español e inglés)

Ecuador: return from migration and entrepreneurship in Loja

Drawing on data from a survey of returning migrants, this study examines the factors behind the decision to launch a business in Loja, Ecuador. The possible explanations fall under various headings: demographic characteristics, work experience abroad, reasons for returning, current situation, intention to re-emigrate, and activity before, during and after migration. The study also considers different concepts of “entrepreneur”, as own-account worker and as employer. The results are analysed, first, using univariate tests and then estimating probit models. The variables most closely associated with a high probability of starting a business after returning from migration are entrepreneurial experience during the migration, and the fact of having returned voluntarily, as well as having worked in the host country in agriculture or the hospitality sector. Having university training and having worked in public administration before migrating are negative factors. Other influential variables are age and the wage or salary received abroad, but these are more nuanced.