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The 10th South Asia Economic Policy Network Conference on Migration in South Asia

November 7-8, 2022

Kathmandu, Nepal

illustration of family migrating to urban area

The Office of the Chief Economist for the South Asia Region of the World Bank, in collaboration with the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) and the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice of the World Bank is pleased to announce the 10th South Asia Economic Policy Network conference on Migration in South Asia.

Internal and international economic migration, largely temporary in nature, is a major factor in the lives of the poor in South Asia, helping millions of households improve their lives by enabling large remittance inflows and insurance from local shocks, and through the contribution of return migrants to local economies. The act of migration entails potentially high returns but also considerable risks and costs. The COVID crisis has also brought to the fore several long-standing policy concerns related to economic migration in South Asia. Join our two days of hybrid sessions featuring paper presentations, a keynote lecture, policy and expert panel discussions, and a short presentation on the main findings of the World Bank’s South Asia Economic Focus Fall 2022 | Coping with Shocks: Migration in South Asia.

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  • Watch the replays of our two-day hybrid sessions featuring paper presentations, a keynote lecture, policy and expert panel discussions, and a short presentation on the main findings of the World Bank’s South Asia Economic Focus Fall 2022 | Coping with Shocks: Migration in South Asia.

    You can watch all the conference replays by clicking on buttons below. 

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  • DAY 1 | Monday, November 7, 2022
    9:15 am - 5:00 pm (NPT)  

     

    09:15–09:50

    OPENING REMARKS

    • Dr. Martin Raiser, Vice President, South Asia Region, World Bank

    • Dr. Richard Howard, Director, ILO Nepal 

    • Mr. Maha Prasad Adhikari, Governor, Nepal Rastra Bank 

     

    Welcome Remarks: Arun Joshi, Director, IIDS Center for Human Assets

    09:50–10:15

    OVERVIEW: MIGRATION IN SOUTH ASIA

    Fall 2022 South Asia Economic Focus: COVID and Migration in South Asia 

    • Dr. Siddharth Sharma, Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    • Dr. Jean Nahrae Lee, Senior Economist, South Asia Region, World bank

    10:15–11:25

    PANEL DISCUSSION: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES - MIGRATION AND SOUTH ASIA

    • Dr. Imran Matin, Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development

    • Dr. Ganesh Gurung, Former Executive Chair of Policy Research Institute, Former Member of the National Planning Commission

    • Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne, Research Fellow and Head of Migration and Urbanization Research, Institute of Policy Studies

    • Mr. Prajwal Sharma, Head of Labour Mobility and Human Development Department, IOM Nepal

    • Dr. Irudaya Rajan, Chair of the KNOMAD (The Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development)

     

    Remarks: Mr. Hans Timmer, Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    Moderator: Dr. Stefano Paternostro, Practice Manager, Social Protection and Jobs, South Asia Region, World Bank

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    11:25–11:40

    TEA/COFFEE BREAK

    11:40–12:40

     

    SESSION 1: MIGRATION AND REMITTANCES

     

    PAPER I: The 2015 Earthquake in Nepal: Remittances as Risk-coping Mechanism | Author: Ms. Esther Maria Bartl

     

    PAPER II: Can Migrant Workers’ Remittances Cushion the Macroeconomic Crisis in Sri Lanka? | Author: Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne

     

    Discussant: Dr. Prakash Kumar Shrestha, Executive Director, Economic Research Department, Nepal Rastra Bank

    Moderator: Ms. Xiao'ou Zhu, Consultant, South Asia Region, World Bank

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    12:40–13:40

    LUNCH

    13:40–14:40

     

    SESSION 2: MIGRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

     

    PAPER I: International Labor Migration and Economic Development: Evidence from Bangladesh | Author: Dr. Mahreen Khan

     

    PAPER II: The Impact of Large-scale Migration on Poverty, Expenditures, and Labour Market Outcomes in Nepal | Author: Dr. Maheshwor Shrestha

     

    Discussant: Dr. Biswash Gauchan, Executive Director, IIDS 

    Moderator: Dr. Siddharth Sharma, Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    14:40–15:40

     

    SESSION 3: IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN

     

    PAPER I: Learning Levels of Children from Short-term Migrant Families in Rural India | Author: Dr. Leena Bhattacharya

     

    PAPER II: Labor Market Shocks, Social Protection and Women’s Work | Author: Dr. Swati Sharma and Ms. Nikita Sangwan 

     

    Discussant: Ms. Neha Choudhary, ILO National Project Coordinator

    Moderator: Ms. Priti Shrestha, Gender and Social Inclusion Officer, UN Women

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    15:40–15:55

    TEA/COFFEE BREAK

    15:55–16:55

     

    SESSION 4: TECHNOLOGY AND EMERGING MARKET ECONOMIES

     

    PAPER I: Technological Change and Demographics in a Model where Consumption is Time-constrained | Author: Dr. Manoj Pant and Ms. Sugandha Huria

     

    PAPER II: Labour Outmigration, Farmland Fallowing, Livelihood Diversification and Technology Adoption in Nepal | Authors: Dr. Mani Nepal, Dr. Apsara Karki Nepal and Dr. Randall Bluffstone

     

    Discussant: Ms. Alice Joan Brooks, Senior Economist, World Bank 

    Moderator: Dr. Valerie Mercer-Blackman, Senior Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    16:55–17:00

    CLOSING DAY 1 

     

    DAY 2 | Tuesday, November 8, 2022
    8:30 am - 3:30 pm (NPT)  

     

    08:30–08:45

    OPENING REMARKS

    Day 1 Recap by Mr. Hans Timmer, Chief Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    Welcome Remarks: Arun Joshi, Director, IIDS Center for Human Assets

    08:45–09:30

    KEYNOTE SPEECH

    Seasonal Poverty, Migration and Remittance Frictions

    Speaker: Professor Mushfiq Mobarak, Yale University

       

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    09:30–10:30

    SESSION 5: NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS AND WAGE SPILLOVER

    PAPER I: Wage Spillovers and Internal Migration in India | Author: Dr. Çaglar Özden, Dr. He Wang and Ms. Maggie Liu

     

    PAPER II: Weather Shocks, Domestic Migration and Human Capital | Author: Dr. Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay, Dr. Papiya Mazumdar, Dr. Sumit Mazumdar and Dr. Ajay Sharma

     

    Discussant: Dr. Nele Warrinnier, Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    Moderator: Dr. Syud Amer Ahmed, Lead Economist, World Bank 

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    10:30–10:45TEA/COFFEE BREAK
    10:45–11:45

    SESSION 6: AGRICULTURE AND LIVELIHOODS SUPPLY CHAIN

    PAPER I: Local Nonfarm Opportunities and Migration Decisions: Evidence from Bangladesh | Author: Dr. Kazi Iqbal, Mr. Md. Nahid Ferdous, Mr. Mohammad Rezoanul Hoque and Ms. Nahian Azad Shashi

     

    Discussant: Dr. Devendra Gauchan, Agricultural Economist, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, CGIAR

    Moderator: Dr. Jean Nahrae Lee, Senior Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    11:45–12:45LUNCH
    12:45–13:45

    SESSION 7: RETURNEE MIGRANTS AND DIASPORAS

    PAPER I: Loan Choice and Indebtedness of Bangladeshi Return Migrants | Authors: Dr. Syud Amer Ahmed and Ms. Esther Bartl

     

    PAPER II: Return Reimagined: Diaspora Interactions with Protracted Internal Displacement | Authors: Mr. Mohamed Munas and Dr. Gayathri Lokuge

     

    Discussant: Dr. Jeevan Baniya, Assistant Director, Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility, Social Science Baha

    Moderator: Dr. Siddharth Sharma, Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

     

    13:45–14:00TEA/COFFEE BREAK
    14:00–15:00

    FIRESIDE CHAT: Rallying evidence for programs and policies

    • Dr. Richard Howard, Director, ILO Nepal

    • Ms. Nusrath Ghazzali , Deputy Chief of Mission, IOM, Bangladesh

    • Dr. Syud Amer Ahmed, Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank 

    • Hon’ble Dr. Ram Kumar Phuyal, National Planning Commission, Nepal

     

    Moderator: Dr. Swarnim Wagle, Chair, IIDS

     

    Open Discussion (Q&A)

    15:00–15:30

    CLOSING SESSION

    • Mr. Rajeev Pokharel, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security

    • Mr. Faris H. Hadad-Zervos, Country Director, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, South Asia, World Bank

  • Remarks

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    Maha Prasad Adhikari

    Governor, Nepal Rastra Bank
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    Mr. Rajeev Pokharel

    Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security, Nepal
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    Richard Howard

    Director, ILO Nepal
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    Arun Joshi

    Director, IIDS Center for Human Assets
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    Martin Raiser

    VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTH ASIA REGION, WORLD BANK
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    Faris H. Hadad-Zervos

    Country Director, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, South Asia, World Bank
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    Hans Timmer

    CHIEF ECONOMIST, SOUTH ASIA region, WORLD BANK

    Panelists

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    Swarnim Wagle

    Chair, IIDS
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    Bilesha Weeraratne

    Research Fellow and Head of Migration and Urbanization Research, Institute of Policy Studies
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    Irudaya Rajan

    Chair, The Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development
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    Imran Matin

    Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development
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    Nusrath Ghazzali

    Deputy Chief of Mission, IOM
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    Ram Kumar Phuyal

    Member-National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal
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    Ganesh Gurung

    Former Executive Chair of Policy Research Institute, Former Member of the National Planning Commission
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    Stefano Paternostro

    Practice Manager, Social Protection and Jobs, South Asia Region, World Bank
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    Syud Amer Ahmed

    Lead Economist, Social Protection and Jobs, World Bank
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    Prajwal Sharma

    Head of Labour Mobility and Human Development Department, IOM Nepal

    Discussants

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    Nele Warrinnier

    Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank
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    Prakash Kumar Shrestha

    Executive Director, Nepal Rastra Bank
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    Neha Choudhary

    National Project Coordinator, ILO
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    Biswash Gauchan

    Executive Director, IIDS
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    Alice Joan Brooks

    Senior Economist, World Bank
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    Jeevan Baniya

    Assistant Director, Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility, Social Science Baha
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    Devendra Gauchan

    Agricultural Economist, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, CGIAR
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    Priti Shrestha

    Gender and Social Inclusion Officer, UN Women

    Presenters

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    Mushfiq Mobarak

    Professor, Yale University
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    Jean Nahrae Lee

    Senior Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank
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    Siddharth Sharma

    Lead Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank

    Moderators

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    Sahana Bajracharya (EMCEE)

    Television Presenter & Producer
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    Valerie Mercer-Blackman

    Senior Economist, South Asia Region, World Bank
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    Xiao'ou Zhu

    Consultant, South Asia Region, World Bank

DETAILS

  • Topic: Migration in South Asia
  • Day 1: Monday, Nov 7, 2022 (9:15 am - 5:00 pm NPT)
  • Day 2: Tuesday, Nov 8, 2022 (8:30 am - 3:30 pm NPT)
  • CONTACT: South Asia Chief Economist Office 
  • sarchiefeconomistoffice@worldbank.org

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