What are common examples of push factors in migration?

In migration studies, push factors refer to conditions that compel individuals to leave their current location. Common examples of push factors include adverse circumstances that create a situation where staying becomes untenable for individuals or communities.

Poverty, war, and famine are quintessential push factors because they represent severe challenges to safety, well-being, and quality of life. Individuals living in poverty might find it difficult to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare, leading them to seek better opportunities elsewhere. Similarly, war creates dangerous environments, forcing people to flee conflict to preserve their safety and that of their families. Famine, often a result of environmental changes or poor governance, leads to food shortages, making it impossible for people to sustain their livelihoods and prompting migration to find sustenance and security.

In contrast, other options reflect factors that can attract individuals to migrate rather than compel them to leave. For instance, job opportunities and better living conditions indicate pull factors that draw people toward a new area. Natural disaster preparedness education and political stability, while important, do not align with the concept of push factors and instead pertain to how communities can sustain themselves or improve conditions post-migration.