Research led by Pallikadavath on the impact of international female migration on ‘left-behind’ families has directly contributed to changes in international policies and programmes that have benefited over 500,000 female migrants and their dependents in Indonesia. These changes include extensions to the scope of individual rights and duration of protection and support, improvements to national and regional pre-departure training programmes to support integration on departure and return, and the creation of women’s self-help groups and youth centres to support families and returning migrants. The Portsmouth-Brawijaya Centre for Global Health, Population and Policy, established in 2015, has also enhanced international capability and capacity in collaborative research on intractable development issues across South East Asia.