The PALM scheme is significantly altering family care dynamics due to the absence of parental figures at home. Talei Cama, a child protection specialist with UNICEF, noted that workers involved in the scheme often leave their homes for extended periods. This results in a shift in responsibilities that can lead to generational trauma.
Ms. Cama highlighted that mothers left behind by spouses who have gone abroad to work under the PALM scheme face an increased burden. “There’s a huge shift in gender roles,” she stated. Mothers are not only fulfilling their traditional roles of caring for children but are also taking on additional responsibilities, including managing households, tending to farms, and performing tasks typically handled by their spouses.
Older siblings often find themselves stepping up to care for younger children, as it is primarily the mother who remains at home. This results in these older children taking on responsibilities that force them into premature adult roles. “They are really playing a more premature adult role than you would expect children to perform,” she explained.
Furthermore, grandparents are also impacted as they sometimes take on the role of caregivers for the children. Ms. Cama emphasized that the overall effects of the PALM scheme illustrate a complex interplay of increased responsibilities and the emotional challenges faced by families adapting to these changes.