NewsWhore
04-08-2011, 05:40 PM
Research carried out by the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW) and the United Nations Development Program shows that remittances sent home by migrant Dominicans improve the living conditions of the families that receive these. But the research alerts that the money does not contribute to the development of communities nor to advances of women in these communities.
The research, "Migration, Remittances and Local Development, the Gender Dimension, case of Dominican Republic was carried out in 2008 among residents in Las Placetas, a rural community in San Jose de las Matas, Santiago province. Many of the community have migrated to New York. The report concludes that the women who stayed behind remain in a state of dependency to their spouses while the funds do not stimulate their entrepreneurship.
Anthropologist Tahira Vargas, who was responsible for the study, says that traditional sexist and dependency patterns are maintained, as reported in Diario Libre. She explains those who receive the cash flows are subject to strict social control while the husbands remain in control.
She said that on the other hand, the women who do not receive the remittances are more enterprising and enjoy higher levels of self-empowerment and take advantage of more opportunities.
The average remittances received by residents in Las Placetas ranges from subsistence levels of US$100 to US$300 a month. Vargas suggests projects be undertaken to group the cash flows received by the women. She highlighted the need to break gender subordination cultural patterns among rural families to create rural social capital so the women can undertake sustainable economic projects.
UN Development Program director Valerie Julliand said the study was carried out to understand how remittances could contribute to local development and training of women so these can build a better future. The research sought to make recommendations for social public policies that are gender-differentiated. She said a second part of the study will be undertaken to make recommendations for optimizing the cash flows.
Vargas in the report suggests strengthening programs for Mother Clubs that she sees as an opportunity for community development. She calls for more investment by the government in access roads and legal guarantees to encourage migrants to invest. Moreso, she suggests stronger ties relations with the migrating communities and keeping the youths who remain in the DR while one or both of their parents are abroad active with recreational public spaces.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
The research, "Migration, Remittances and Local Development, the Gender Dimension, case of Dominican Republic was carried out in 2008 among residents in Las Placetas, a rural community in San Jose de las Matas, Santiago province. Many of the community have migrated to New York. The report concludes that the women who stayed behind remain in a state of dependency to their spouses while the funds do not stimulate their entrepreneurship.
Anthropologist Tahira Vargas, who was responsible for the study, says that traditional sexist and dependency patterns are maintained, as reported in Diario Libre. She explains those who receive the cash flows are subject to strict social control while the husbands remain in control.
She said that on the other hand, the women who do not receive the remittances are more enterprising and enjoy higher levels of self-empowerment and take advantage of more opportunities.
The average remittances received by residents in Las Placetas ranges from subsistence levels of US$100 to US$300 a month. Vargas suggests projects be undertaken to group the cash flows received by the women. She highlighted the need to break gender subordination cultural patterns among rural families to create rural social capital so the women can undertake sustainable economic projects.
UN Development Program director Valerie Julliand said the study was carried out to understand how remittances could contribute to local development and training of women so these can build a better future. The research sought to make recommendations for social public policies that are gender-differentiated. She said a second part of the study will be undertaken to make recommendations for optimizing the cash flows.
Vargas in the report suggests strengthening programs for Mother Clubs that she sees as an opportunity for community development. She calls for more investment by the government in access roads and legal guarantees to encourage migrants to invest. Moreso, she suggests stronger ties relations with the migrating communities and keeping the youths who remain in the DR while one or both of their parents are abroad active with recreational public spaces.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)