In the Shadow of the State: Recruitment and Migration of South Indian Women as Domestic Workers to the Middle East

Policy Brief on Practices and Regulations of Recruitment to Domestic Work

The policy brief highlights common recruitment practices and regulations observed along recruitment pathways to domestic work in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Jordan and Lebanon.

The purpose of this policy brief is to respond to the rising interest in improving recruitment practices and regulations in order to reduce vulnerability to human trafficking and forced labour. In some cases, examples from other regions have been highlighted. Given the complexity of cross jurisdictional recruitment practices and regulation this brief presents common practices and regulations, pointing to where and how they can constitute better practices. The mapping and analysis are based on research and lessons learned from the ILO’s Work in Freedom Programme recruitment pilots within South Asia or from South Asia to the Middle East. There are two sections to this brief, first – describing common recruitment practices and regulations and second – giving examples of better recruitment practices and corresponding regulations.

For a fee: The business of recruiting Bangladeshi women for domestic work in Jordan and Lebanon

This working paper aims to shed light on the business models of labour recruiters that facilitate the recruitment of women from South Asian countries into domestic work in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Bangladesh, Jordan and Lebanon.

Focusing primarily on Bangladesh, Jordan and Lebanon, the study draws on 126 interviews conducted with key stakeholders, to analyse the recruitment ‘business model’ utilised by private employment agencies specialising on the domestic work sector.

Globally, the international recruitment industry is composed of an increasingly complex web of actors. In order to profit, private employment agencies must devise competitive strategies to generate income greater than the costs of selecting, processing and mobilising people into jobs. Such business models are dynamic and responsive to changes in market demands and skills’ availability. 

The study also assesses the influence of national laws, policies and regulations on how private employment agencies conduct their business. By illuminating the factors that guide the actions of private employment agencies, the study aims to inform better policies and interventions to protect migrant domestic workers and eliminate abusive practices.

Pathways for empowering employment: Diversity and challenges for women migrant workers of Bangladesh

The study focuses on short term overseas employment of semi-skilled and low-skilled workers because most Bangladeshi female workers fall under this category. It covers only regular migration because there is insufficient data available on irregular, undocumented migration.

Committed to ensuring the protection and empowerment of women migrant workers in alignment with the outlined targets, the Government of Bangladesh recognizes the need to explore new employment markets and additional trade opportunities that are safe and that provide dignified work opportunities. For this reason, UN Women (in collaboration with the International Labour Organization and financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) commissioned these two studies: an analysis of Japan as a potential destination for work for Bangladeshi women and an analysis of caregivers in health care and beauticians in beauty parlours as two potential formal labour sector occupations.

Gender equality in labour migration law, policy and management (GEM Toolkit)

Measuring sustainable development goal indicator 10.7.1 on recruitment costs of Vietnamese workers overseas: Results of the Labour Force Survey 2021

This report "Measuring sustainable development goal indicator 10.7.1 on recruitment costs of Vietnamese workers overseas: Results of the Labour Force Survey 2021" was developed using data from the Viet Nam Labour Force Survey 2021. This is the first time the General Statistics Office has released a study on Vietnamese workers abroad.

The report results showed basic characteristics of Vietnamese workers overseas within the last three years (2018-2021). In particular, the report has shown that, on average, Vietnamese workers going to work abroad had to use the equivalent of 7.4 months of their first-month salary to pay for or cover recruitment costs for getting their job abroad in the first place. Based on the study results, the report has proposed policy recommendations related to Vietnamese workers overseas.