The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recommends that the Government of Moldova should work out a comprehensive strategy on migration so as to maximize the benefits of migration and reduce its social consequences, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the IOM, more than a half of the 600,000 non-permanent Moldovan migrants have families in Moldova, while the remittances, which are equal in value to practically a national budget, became a major source of income not only for the families of those that went abroad, but also for the national economy. Each third household in Moldova receives remittances from aboard. For each second of these households, this money represents more than 50% of their total income. “Remittances help alleviate poverty, teach the children and contribute to a higher consumption-led economic growth,” said Stela Roraru, who works for the IOM. “But this process has negative consequences that affect the public and private sectors and lead to child abandonment and destroyed families. In some of the cases, the attempts to emigrate result in serious exploitation cases,” Stela Rotaru added. Though parent migration reduces the poverty risks for children, it is detrimental to their moral and academic education. Some children live in poverty even if both of the parents work abroad. At least one parent of 20% of Moldovan children is abroad. 10% of the children have both their parents abroad. In most of the families, the mother is away and the father abandons the children, IOM says. “In order to avoid the negative effects of migration and the consequences of the decrease in remittances, the Government must provide employment and development opportunities for those that return home,” the IOM representative said. “It is important to create stimuli to bring back the highly-qualified specialists and to formulate re-training/re-qualification programs for professionals working in education and healthcare. The effects of migration can be overcome through a comprehensive strategy on migration,” Stela Rotaru considers.