Migration and the Well-Being of Children in China

Zai Liang, University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY)
Lin Guo, University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY)
Chengrong Duan, Renmin University of China

Using data from the 2002 China 9-City Survey of Migrant Children, this paper examines three issues concerning the well-being of migrant children: education, health, and child labor. We provide both broad patterns of education, health, and child labor as well as statistical models which take into account individual, household level, and migration characteristics. The results show some good news and some bad news. Overall, migrant children show a profile of relatively high level of school enrollment and participation in vaccination programs. On the negative side, we find that child labor is quite high (as high as 15% in one city). Gender discrimination is also evident in both participation in vaccination program and child labor. Third, migrant children who reside in single parent households suffer both in education and child labor.