Motivations for and Satisfaction with Migration: An Analysis of Migrants to New Delhi, Dhaka, and Islamabad

Male and female residents of seven slums in New Delhi, India, four slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and four slums in Islamabad, Pakistan, were interviewed about their reasons for migrating to and their satisfaction with their city. Although the single most commonly reported reason for moving was in search of work, significant proportions of migrants gave multiple reasons, and, particularly in Dhaka and Islamabad, many respondents partly attributed their move to fate. Results suggested that the attribution to fate was not due to either religion or poverty, but was related to perceived personal control. More generally, the reasons that respondents gave for migrating to the city were significantly related to their mental and physical health, to their ratings of their home and the city environment, and to their satisfaction with the city.