Marriage, poverty force women to migrate at double the rate than men

Migration for work results in relief from poverty even if it means rough life in India's metros

Women migrating for work and education between 2001 and 2011 grew at a rate that outpaced men who moved for similar reasons, shows an IndiaSpend analysis of Census data.

In this period, the number of women migrating for work grew by 101%, more than double the growth rate for men (48.7%). Also, the number of women who cited business as a reason for migration increased by 153% in 2001-11, more than four times the rate for men (35%).

Women’s migration is still driven primarily by marriage. In absolute numbers, 97% of Indians