Securing OFW Children's Rights to Safeguard Social Development

• Main Author: Abenir, Mark Anthony Dayot
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2015
• Subjects: children of OFWs; left behind children; rights of the child; social development; mixed methods; Philippines; Child Psychology; Development Studies; Migration Studies; Social Welfare
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/dev-stud-faculty-pubs/95; https://archium.ateneo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=dev-stud-faculty-pubs
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Securing the rights of the children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) is of vital importance in order for the gains they receive from their parent/s' migration to be sustained, and for its negative consequences to be mitigated. However, present literature fails to capture children's voices on what those rights should be. Thus, through the use of mixed methods approach, this study utilizes nationwide cross-sectional surveys and selected small group sharing sessions in order to reveal those rights based on the expected duties and responsibilities of migrant parents by the children of OFWs. Quantitative results reveal that a majority of OFW children agree that their migrant parents are able to fulfill their duties and responsibilities toward their families but their age, level of education, which of their parent is abroad, and type of schooling affects children's propensity to agree on this matter. Conversely, qualitative findings reveal four major rights of the children of OFWs that can serve as a basis for public and migration policies that can safeguard the social development of left behind children by migrating parents.