THE RISK OF POVERTY AS A LEADING CAUSE OF YOUTH EMIGRATION: PERSPECTIVES OF YOUNG EMIGRANTS FROM THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA

Abstract

The emigration process from the Republic of Srpska is highly intensive and appears to be relentless. The majority of those leaving are young people. Each year, a significant number of youth choose to relocate abroad in pursuit of a better quality of life. Although the motivations for such a life-altering decision vary (including education, career advancement, and other personal factors), it can be argued that material security is often a fundamental driving force. The risk of poverty stands out as one of the primary factors motivating relocation to a foreign country. This risk is reflected in various structural factors, including low income levels, income instability, difficulties in meeting basic existential needs due to rising costs of living, precarious economic conditions, the inability to secure adequate housing, and an overall lack of capacity to plan a stable and secure future. Therefore, the risk of poverty and the lack of prospects for improving one’s standard of living are frequently at the core of young people’s decisions to emigrate. This paper provides an overview of the perspectives of young individuals who have emigrated from the Republic of Srpska, with a particular focus on the reasons behind their decision — specifically those related to the perceived risk of poverty. The participants in this study are young people from the Republic of Srpska who have chosen to live abroad within the past ten years. This research aims to analyze the underlying motives for youth emigration, with an emphasis on the risk of poverty as perceived and articulated by those who have decided to leave the Republic of Srpska.