The International Migration of Young Malians: Tradition, Necessity or Rite of Passage?
Author(s): A. Diarra S. Castle
The aim of this study is to explore the causes, context and consequences of youth migration in Mali. The research is based on a qualitative study across four communities in the ‘cercle' of Bankass in central Mali and four communities in Kolondieba in the south-east of the country. In terms of employment, the research demonstrates that most young men are employed in the transport industry, in the docks and in the cocoa, cotton, yam or cashew plantations, whereas the majority of girls work as domestic servants. Moreover, the findings reveal that youth migration in Mali is much more than an economic phenomenon; it comprises social and psychological dimensions. Despite the hardship experienced by young migrants, many respondents highlight their positive experiences of migration, e.g. young people were well treated by their employers, were able to achieve their economic goals and improve their linguistic skills. On a policy level, the study highlights many conceptual weaknesses in the international definitions of trafficking and the extreme difficulty in applying them in the field.