Rural out-migration in the drought prone areas of Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis

This article presents a multilevel analysis of rural out-migration in Ethio pia over the 1984-1994 period. Using a recent household survey carried out in the drought prone rural areas of Ethiopia, discrete-time hazard models a re used to examine the impact of individual, household and community factor s on migration. Incorporating a life-course and the "new economics of migra tion" perspectives, our findings suggest that rural out-migration in these areas can be viewed as a function of individual, household and community ch aracteristics. We find that mobility of people for schooling in the impover ished rural communities is minimal. Migration of both sexes was possible ma inly through marriage, although females tend to depart their residences mor e than males. Our findings also reveal substantial period effects on out-mi gration trends.