“Migration reduces disparities in wealth and development.” Discuss this statement.

There are many possible approaches to this question.

It is likely that answers will offer some introductory definition of migration and an explanation of disparities in wealth and development. Allow a broad interpretation of disparities. Responses may look at how particular migrations reduced and/or increased disparities both between the origin and destination and/or within these two regions themselves. A good answer would be driven by the examples used and may focus on some of the following.

Disparities at origin:

• Increasing: brain drain, gender/education level/age of those remaining.
• Reducing: remittances, skilled returnees.

Disparities at destinations:

• Increasing: residential (migrants living in slum areas), incomes, education levels, job opportunities.
• Reducing: higher income from point of origin, demographic indicators improve.

It is possible for a good response to disagree with the statement and/or to focus on how disparities are created within the destination/origin between the migrants/returnees and those that were there previously.

Direct reference must be made to disparities to move beyond band C. The strongest answers, accessing bands E and F, will need to make effective use of a relevant example or examples, and reach a conclusion regarding the statement.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

The strongest responses had well balanced answers from both the origin and destination points of view as well as both positive and negative discussions. Weaker candidates failed to illustrate their work with specific and detailed case studies and were unsuccessful in their attempt to consider in any detail the meaning of disparities in wealth and development. Some decided to ignore the question and just wrote on the advantages and disadvantages of migration; this was self-limiting.