While acknowledging that there are many reasons for parents to be absent in the lives of their children, very little attention is paid to parental absence as a consequence of migration. Due to poor economic conditions resulting from the Civil war, the Tajikistani economy and families became highly dependent on external finance. In relation to Khorog migration flow, parents migrate in order to improve their living conditions, as well as economically support their families left behind, which are comprised mostly of children. The literature proposes that some children benefit from the remittances parents send home, which gives them the opportunity to access education, health care and improves their social life, while for others it may result in feelings of abandonment, loneliness, low self-esteem and neglect. This study examines the impact of parents in migration on children left behind, and identifies the effects on various aspects of children’s well-being (a general picture), such as health, education, extracurricular activities, and their emotional and social life. In this regard, the results of this study show that, even if migration brings economic benefits to the families, it comes at high price for the children, who are negatively influenced by the prolonged absence of their parents and are being raised in a hostile environment that can have a destructive influence on their socio-psychological well-being, academic performance, health and socialization. The author hopes that this paper will contribute to increased awareness of the subject and stimulate further research within this area.

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children left behind,parental absence,migration,socialization,child development,violence,psychological effects