Migration of parents affects psycho-emotional state of children

Over the last few years, the number of children who are not raised by both parents has almost doubled. One of the causes is the migration which affects almost 177,000 children in Moldova. The long leaves of the parents cause disorders in the psychological and emotional development of the children, affects their social relations and school performances, a press release from UNICEF Moldova says. UNICEF Moldova and the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child are advocating for the necessity of paying special attention to the problem of migration and its influence on children as one of the priorities to be followed when working out national policies and strategies. “The phenomenon of migration is usually regarded in Moldova in its economic, demographic and international relations aspects, but never from the perspective of its impact on the psycho-emotional development of children raised without parents. We want to contribute to public debates on the issue”, UNICEF representative in Moldova, Ray Virgilio Torres, mentions. According to a study conducted by CBS AXA at the request of UNICEF, UNDP and the Government of the Republic of Moldova, remittances contribute to the material welfare of the households, but, on the other hand, children left without parental care are affected psychologically and emotionally. Zinaida Bolea, psychologist and co-author of the study, asserts that the parent’s leaving can cause neurotic disorders, depression, anxiety and disorders of the behaviour. Lonely teenagers face serious problems because of the lack of parents’ authority - early initiation of sexual activity, abandonment of school and participation in gangs. The percentage of children who are not raised by both parents increased from 16% in 2000 to 31% in 2005.