Rebels, victims, agents of change: The singular histories of women migrant workers

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to shed light on how women view their migration and work abroad. The findings challenge conventional narratives on labour migration of women and bring out important perspectives that invaluably inform policymaking.

The research provides in-depth qualitative data on women labour migration, free of a priori judgment in a context where such activity remains contested in many parts of society. The aim is to present on women’s migratory journeys and in the process re-visit these gender constructions, as well as the social class ranking that associates honour and rank with a specific gender order. It is an important reference for academics, activists and Government practitioners.

Lessons learned: Building migrant women’s groups and networks

The Lessons Learned outlined in this paper draw attention to reflections and good practices from the experiences of building of migrant women’s groups and networks in both countries of origin and destination.

The ILO’s TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme, supported by Global Affairs Canada and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, recognizes that gender inequalities and discrimination limit the opportunities for women to benefit from migration, restrict women from reaching their full potential and increases the risk of exploitation. Aiming to increase women’s empowerment, TRIANGLE in ASEAN has supported six civil society organizations in Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand to build migrant women’s groups and networks.

The ten lessons learned outlined in this paper cover practical issues including training of facilitators, the formation and maintenance of groups, and the building of wider networks nationally and cross-border. Other lessons learned address more complex issues that the migrant women’s groups have encountered. The lessons learned, like the groups themselves, are a work in progress. Building networks, tackling sensitive issues, advocating more broadly for the rights of migrant women and deepening the analysis of the complex social, economic and political factors through greater connectivity with social movements are all on the agenda for future interventions.

Women members of groups have gained more confidence, can more openly share and are expressing their opinions. Better informed, with more self-esteem, they are taking their own needs and knowledge into more consideration in decisions about migration. Migrant women’s group leaders are working together to advocate for policy changes and are prepared to tackle societal attitudes which discriminate against women and stigmatize migrant women.

The vibrant, enthusiastic migrant women’s groups built during this project are pleased to share their experiences with the hope that more migrant women will be able to build resilience through starting their own groups and be able to collectively address the inequalities, stigma and exploitation that migrant women currently face.

Organizing women migrant workers: Handout compendium

This handout compendium is meant to be used with the training manual "Organizing women migrant workers: Manual for trade unionists in ASEAN".

This handout compendium is a part of the training manual "Organizing women migrant workers: Manual for trade unionists in ASEAN". The handout compendium is meant to be used with the training manual. The training manual was produced jointly by the ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) and the programme Safe and Fair: Realizing women migrant workers’ rights and opportunities in the ASEAN region. ACTRAV and Safe and Fair aim for this training manual and handout compendium to enable trade unions to address the specific needs of women migrant workers, bringing these two elements to

Organizing women migrant workers: Manual for trade unionists in ASEAN

This training manual was produced in collaboration between ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) and Safe and Fair: Realizing women migrant workers’ rights and opportunities in the ASEAN region, a joint programme of the International Labour Organization and UN Women under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls.

Trade unions regionally and globally often work on either migrants’ issues, or on gender equality and women’s empowerment. ACTRAV and Safe and Fair aim for this training manual to enable trade unions to address the specific needs of women migrant workers, bringing these two elements together.

This training manual was produced jointly by the ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) and the programme Safe and Fair: Realizing women migrant workers’ rights and opportunities in the ASEAN region. Safe and Fair is jointly implemented by the ILO and UN Women, under the multi year European Union–United Nations Spotlight Initiative to end violence against women and girls.

Labour migration from Colombo Process countries Good practices, challenges and ways forward

Labour Migration from Colombo Process Countries: Good Practices, Challenges and Way Forward is the official background paper prepared by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to inform the Fourth Colombo Process Ministerial Meeting held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2011. The report takes stock of current labour migration trends in the region, offers an analysis of good practices and identifies the challenges Colombo Process (CP) Member Countries face and their policy options in the immediate and long-term.

Since 2005, CP Member Countries have taken concrete, pro-active steps to manage labour migration through amending existing regulations or adopting new legislation, creating new government structures dedicated to managing labour outflow, and signing bilateral agreements (BAs) and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with key destination countries. CP Member Countries have also launched innovative programmes and activities at different levels of government aimed at protecting labour migrants at home and abroad. 

Despite success in key areas, however, difficult challenges remain, especially in implementation. There is often a gap between the aims of programmes as laid out on paper and how they are ultimately applied on the ground particularly on four key areas: disseminating of information, managing of the recruitment process, providing welfare support to migrants at both ends of the migration cycle and maximizing the benefits of labour migration. Success in any of these four areas requires serious investments in capacity building centered on a three-pronged strategy aimed at generating critical information, knowledge and policy-relevant research, formalizing practical dialogues and forging meaningful partnerships.