Book Review Symposium V of Economic Sanctions from Havana to Baghdad: The Effects of Sanctions in Zimbabwe on Migrant Care Workers and Transnational Family Relationships
This essay examines how international sanctions imposed on key figures in Zimbabwe have disrupted remittance flows from Zimbabwean migrants working in care jobs abroad, such as caring for children or the elderly. These workers bear the emotional burdens of caring for people on both sides: the individuals they assist in destination countries and their families in Zimbabwe. Remittances are an essential aspect of the latter, as they play a crucial role in shaping the family relationships of migrants and their families. The fact that these migrants send money to family members residing in a country under a heavily sanctioned regime poses specific challenges for Zimbabwean migrants and their families. Migrants are faced with high fees and must rely on informal money transfer channels, which carry significant risks. These costs and risks ultimately hinder the steady flow of money to their families back home. International sanctions thus add a significant burden to the many challenges faced by Zimbabwean migrant care workers: the high cost of sending money to their families back home and the resulting weakening of family and community ties.