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Mirembe, et al.

of the individual concerned. International migration also covers movements of refugees, displaced persons, and other
persons forced to leave their country (United Nations, 2003).
Today, the world has the largest youth generation in human history. There are 1.8 billion young people living on the
planet with approximately 85% of them living in developing states (United Nations, 2019). The number of youth migrants
has continued to grow rapidly over the past 15 years because migration has become one of the mechanisms through
which most youths try to escape the vicious cycle of poverty as a result of the high unemployment rates in the area/
country of origin. Youth migrants constitute a relatively large proportion of international migrants, and their movement
has a significant impact on origin, transit, and destination countries or communities (United Nations, 2013). In addition
to that, 30% of all migrants are between ages of 20 and 29 and female youth migrants account for approximately 50% of
international migrant population (United Nations, 2013). Africa is the world’s youngest continent, as the proportion of
youth among the region’s total population is higher than in any other continent. In 2010, 70% of the region’s population
was under the age of 30 (United Nations, 2011) and in 2015, 52% of the migrants were youth migrants (United Nations,
2016).
Uganda being a politically stable country has over the years been a host country for majority of the refugees especially
those from neighboring war-torn areas. The country has the youngest population with 78% below 30 years (Uganda
Bureau of Statistics, 2014). Ugandan young labor force is rapidly growing, and it almost doubled in the past decade from
4.2 million in 2005-2006 to an estimated 9.5 million in 2015 (Goldin, Hobson, Glick et al., 2015). In 2017, 16% of the
population had lived in another place before their current residence. Of these, 18% were females and 14% were males.
This means that more migrants are leaving their places of origin to new destination areas (Uganda Bureau of Statistics,
2017). On the other hand, unemployment and underemployment are big issues that youth in the country face. The overall
unemployment rate stands at 9.4% and is particularly high among youth (60% of the unemployed) and those with higher
levels of education. According to the Uganda National Planning Authority (NPA), the youth unemployment rate reaches
up to 37.8% when including volunteers and unpaid family workers (National Planning Authority, 2015).
1.1. Rationale
Youth decisions have a significant impact not only on their own lives and opportunities for human development but also
on the lives of their societies and communities, both in the short and long term. Youth migrants always find themselves
in irregular situations and face situations of exploitation, trafficking, exclusion, and detention. Many youth migrants
always find themselves in the so-called 3-D jobs (dirty, dangerous, and degrading) despite these youths being educated
and having the required skills (United Nations, 2014). Youth migrants are more vulnerable to migration experiences that
result in isolation, exclusion, and insecurity. They are in most cases affected by xenophobia, discrimination and suffer
marginalization due to lack of fluency in the local language, new and different cultural norms, and insufficient information
about laws and regulations in their new destination areas (United Nations, 2014).
Most studies on migration in Uganda have focused on the determinants of RUM and its consequences (Mutandwa,
Taremwa and Uwimana et al., 2011; Stark and Bloom, 1985) while other studies (Thorat and Jones, 2011; Taylor, 1999;
Ackah and Medvedev, 2012) have gone ahead to look at the benefits of remittances in socio-economic development of the
countries of origin. A rich analysis of population migration in Uganda has focused on population redistribution with respect
to Kigezi and Bugishu (Kabera, 1983), but the study did not isolate internal youth migrations, and a few studies have
examined the associates of youth internal migration (Deotti and Estruch, 2016; Herrera and Sahn, 2013). Investigations
about internal migration flow especially among the youth have been limited because of reliable data challenges and the
fact that it has a less political connotation. Examination of internal mobility patterns including associates and employment
outcomes is, however, essential as it provides information to policymakers in a bid to benefit from youth migration flows,
as well as managing mobility costs and risks.
The main purpose of this study is to examine the associates of youth internal migration and how migration affected
youth employment status in Uganda.

1.2. Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework explaining individual-level factors of youth migration was based on propositions made by the
pull and push theory of migration. According to the theory, globalization has changed the way people see the world. As
people become more aware of living standards and lifestyles in other parts of the world, for example, through television or
the stories (and sometimes wealth) of returning expatriates, their understanding of their “relative” poverty has increased,
and their expectations have changed. This motivates people to migrate to secure greater income. There is also evidence

International Journal of Population Studies | 2019, Volume 5, Issue 1 39