March 2020

Parental migration significantly reduces children’s school performance in rural Cambodia

Millions of Cambodians are migrating in search of work, many leaving their children behind with elderly relatives who are usually illiterate or have very little formal education. The Cambodian government is concerned that parental migration is having a detrimental effect on children’s education. Indeed, a team of local PEP researchers found that children of migrant parents lag behind significantly in terms of completed years of education.

Find out more in the PEP working paper 2020-18 and policy brief 215

Exposed to civil war as children, Sierra Leone’s young adults suffer in the labour market

Most of Sierra Leone’s young adults (aged 18-35 in 2019) were exposed to the country’s violent civil war (1991-2002) as children. These young adults are now the country’s largest population group and they experience the highest unemployment rates. A team of local PEP researchers provides empirical evidence that conflict exposure at a young age reduces wages, long-term earning potential, and the probability of being employed. Exposure to conflict is linked to a reduction education, causing these negative employment effects.

Find out more in the PEP working paper 2020-09 and policy brief 214