Abstract
In this chapter, we use the MAFE data to study the relationships between migration and family in the context of DR Congo and Europe. Taking advantage of the multi-sited nature of the data, we show that transnational families are quite common. Two thirds of all households from the region of Kinshasa declared having migrant members abroad (whatever their place of residence). Conversely, using the data collected in Europe, we show that a quarter of Congolese migrants in Belgium and UK still had close relatives in Congo at the time of the survey (spouse or children). Adopting a longitudinal approach, we show that living apart across borders is quite often a long-lasting arrangement for Congolese couples, as well as for their children. Results also show that reunification is not a one-way phenomenon: families also reunify in the origin country, when the migrants return. Results suggest that transnational families result from a mix of personal choices and structural constraints.
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Notes
- 1.
30% of the households in DRC hosted a fostered or orphan child aged less than 18 (Ministère du Plan and Macro International 2008).
- 2.
Computation by the authors, using the 2007 DHS household survey.
- 3.
Most emigration at that time involved short-distance movements to neighboring countries (Ngoie Tshibambe and Vwakyanakazi 2008).
- 4.
In case of polygamy, the analyses only take account of the last spouse.
- 5.
The curves are stopped after 10 years because the samples get smaller with time, and changes may be erratic after 10 years. Ten years is also used as a cut-off point for return migration in Chap. 7.
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Beauchemin, C., Caarls, K., Nappa, J., Mazzucato, V., Schoumaker, B., Mangalu, J. (2018). Migration and Family Life Between Congo and Europe. In: Beauchemin, C. (eds) Migration between Africa and Europe. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69569-3_9
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