Gendered mobility patterns in Senegal

This study explores internal migration patterns in Senegal using individual panel data from a nationally representative survey collected in 2006–2007 and 2010–2012. The data are unique in that they contain the GPS coordinates of individuals’ locations in both waves. We are thus able to calculate distances and map individual moves, thereby avoiding the problems involved in using administrative units to define migration. Our results reveal highly gendered mobility patterns and confirm their durability over the last decades. Women are more likely to migrate than men, but to rural rather than urban destinations. While education increases the likelihood of migration to urban destinations, especially for women, female mobility is mostly linked to marriage, whereas labour mobility is more frequently observed for men.