<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>There is a large variation across countries of origin in the gender composition of migrants coming to Germany. We argue that women’s economic rights in developing countries of origin have three effects on their migration prospects to a place like Germany that is far away and difficult to reach. First, the lower are women’s economic rights the fewer women have access to and control over the resources needed to migrate to Germany. Second, the lower are the rights the lower is women’s agency to make or otherwise influence migration decisions. These two constraining effects on the female share in migrant populations dominate the opposing third effect that stems from low levels of women’s economic rights generating a potentially powerful push factor. We find corroborating evidence in our analysis of the gender composition of migration to Germany over the period 2009–2017.</p>
</abstract>

There is a large variation across countries of origin in the gender composition of migrants coming to Germany. We argue that women’s economic rights in developing countries of origin have three effects on their migration prospects to a place like Germany that is far away and difficult to reach. First, the lower are women’s economic rights the fewer women have access to and control over the resources needed to migrate to Germany. Second, the lower are the rights the lower is women’s agency to make or otherwise influence migration decisions. These two constraining effects on the female share in migrant populations dominate the opposing third effect that stems from low levels of women’s economic rights generating a potentially powerful push factor. We find corroborating evidence in our analysis of the gender composition of migration to Germany over the period 2009–2017.

Women’s economic rights in developing countries and the gender gap in migration to Germany

Vienna University of Economics and Business

IZA Journal of Development and Migration

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

There is a large variation across countries of origin in the gender composition of migrants coming to Germany. We argue that women’s economic rights in...

Women’s economic rights in developing countries and the gender gap in migration to Germany

Published Online: Oct 13, 2021

Page range: -

Accepted: Aug 10, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/izajodm-2021-0013

Keywords
migration, economic rights, gender, resources, agency

© 2021 Eric Neumayer et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Women’s economic rights in developing countries and the gender gap in migration to Germany

Published Online: Oct 13, 2021

Page range: -

Accepted: Aug 10, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/izajodm-2021-0013

Keywordsmigration, economic rights, gender, resources, agency

© 2021 Eric Neumayer et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
migration, economic rights, gender, resources, agency