Photo stories: Migrant workers and their children

Millions of workers emigrate from rural areas to cities in China, as a result of the country's rapid economic growth. This has led to another social phenomenon, that children are left-behind in villages, mainly with their grandparents.

In the case of most "left-behind" children, one or both parents are working far away from home and rarely spend time with their children. They are left to be cared for by grandparents or other relatives and family friends in their hometown with little or no education.

There is a higher possibility of such children suffering from developmental issues and are more likely to be victims of human trafficking, involved in criminal activities or becoming depressed.

Many children also do not share strong emotional links with their parents.

(Left) Nine-year-old Ma Shuwen and her brother stand beside a lake in their hometown in Balihe County in east China's Anhui province, Jan 11, 2015. (Right) Their parents are seen standing along the West Lake in Hangzhou, in east China's Zhejiang province on Jan 15, 2015. They can only meet twice each year during the summer vacation and the Spring Festival. [Photo/xinhua]