Gender,Remmitances andDevelopment Preliminary Findings From Selected SADC Countries

This 2007 report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and UN-INSTRAW examines the gender dimensions of migration and remittances within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It highlights the increasing 'feminization' of migratory flows and the critical role of remittances as a household livelihood strategy, while noting a significant lack of sex-disaggregated data and gender-sensitive policies in the region.

• Women are estimated to comprise 47% of all migrants in the SADC region, reflecting a process of "feminization of migratory flows."
• Female-headed households are prevalent in several SADC countries, with rates exceeding 40% in Botswana, South Africa, and Swaziland; in Botswana, the figure is nearly 50%.
• Gender-based literacy gaps vary by country; in Lesotho, women have a significantly higher literacy rate (90%) than men (75%), whereas in Angola, the DRC, and Malawi, women are far less likely to be literate.
• Migration patterns are often gendered: men typically migrate for employment in sectoral areas like mining, while women migrate for a broader range of reasons including trade, shopping, and visiting family.
• The mining sector remains a dominant employment area for migrants, but has seen massive retrenchments; between 1990 and 2001, employment declined by 45%.
• Informal money transfer systems (IMTS) are the primary method for remitting funds from South Africa, with over three-quarters of migrants using informal means.
• Remittances are critical for basic survival and human development, with 93% of households using them to purchase food and basic goods, though there is little evidence of their use for productive economic investment.
• In Lesotho and Mozambique, a compulsory deferred pay system for contract mineworkers ensures high remittance levels, which is highly supported by spouses who fear the funds might otherwise be wasted.
• Remittances have a significant impact on national economies; for example, they account for approximately 4.2% of GDP in Swaziland and represent 60% of the value of Lesotho's exports.
• Regional migration policies, such as the SADC Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of People, are largely gender-blind and fail to address the specific needs or challenges of female migrants.
• HIV/AIDS significantly influences migration patterns, as individuals may migrate to obtain medical care, return home for family support, or move due to the loss of a breadwinner.
• Female migrants in South Africa are particularly vulnerable to economic exploitation, including under-payment and the threat of deportation used by employers to avoid paying wages.

APA

Hughes, T., Kajee, A., & Peberdy, S. (2007). Gender,Remmitances andDevelopment Preliminary Findings From Selected SADC Countries. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/saia_instraw_sa_report.pdf

Chicago

Hughes, Tim, Ayesha Kajee, and Sally Peberdy. Gender,Remmitances andDevelopment Preliminary Findings From Selected SADC Countries. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2007. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/saia_instraw_sa_report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hughes |first1=Tim |last2=Kajee |first2=Ayesha |last3=Peberdy |first3=Sally |title=Gender,Remmitances andDevelopment Preliminary Findings From Selected SADC Countries |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=2007 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/saia_instraw_sa_report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hughes2007genderremmitances, author = {Hughes, Tim and Kajee, Ayesha and Peberdy, Sally}, title = {{Gender,Remmitances andDevelopment Preliminary Findings From Selected SADC Countries}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2007}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/saia_instraw_sa_report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }