Gender,Remmitances andDevelopment Preliminary Findings From Selected SADC Countries

The report analyzes the feminization of migration in the SADC region, noting that women represent approximately 47% of migrants. It highlights a significant reliance on informal remittance channels due to high costs and restrictive access to formal banking. While remittances are critical for meeting basic needs like food, health, and education, there is little evidence of their use for productive economic investment. The document also examines the intersection of migration with HIV/AIDS and the challenges posed by gender-blind national and regional policies.

• Migration in the SADC region is increasingly feminized, with women estimated to comprise 47% of all migrants.
• Remittances are a vital source of household income in SADC, often serving as the most common income source for households with cross-border migrants, except in Botswana.
• The majority of intra-regional remittances are sent through informal money transfer systems (IMTS), such as being carried by the migrants themselves, friends, family, or transport drivers.
• Remittances are primarily used for immediate consumption and basic services rather than productive investment; 93% of households use them to purchase food and basic goods.
• Formal banking access is severely limited for migrants due to high costs, long clearance times, and stringent post-9/11 documentation requirements.
• In Lesotho and Mozambique, a compulsory deferred pay system for contract mineworkers ensures high remittance levels, which is supported by spouses and governments despite being unpopular with the workers.
• Female migrants often face higher levels of vulnerability, including sexual abuse and extortion by smugglers and border officials, particularly when migrating irregularly.
• HIV/AIDS significantly influences migration patterns, driving people to migrate for medical care, to provide care for sick relatives, or to escape community stigmatization.
• Regional and national migration policies in SADC are largely gender-blind and fail to address the specific needs or vulnerabilities of female migrants.
• Zimbabwean migrants exhibit a distinct profile, being more likely to hold professional positions (over 40%) or work in the informal sector (20%) compared to other SADC nationals.

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} }