Vulnerabilities of Internal Returnee Migrants in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3986/dd.2021.2.03Keywords:
internal returnee labor migrants, COVID-19, vulnerabilities, IndiaAbstract
The study surveyed 227 returned labor migrants in four districts of western Odisha to comprehensively analyze the socio-economic vulnerabilities faced by internal returnee labor migrants caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in India. The results show that the partial and complete lockdown caused factory and workplace closures in the entire country. Consequently, millions of migrants suffered a loss of income and faced an uncertain future which motivated migrant workers to return to their home villages. Upon arrival, they met socio-economic vulnerabilities, encountered social and economic discrimination, and were excluded by their family members and fellow villagers, which impacted their behavioral health.
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