WOMEN MIGRANT WORKERS

Migration is a social, economic, politic and cultural phenomenon. This is a decision made voluntarily by a person or a group of persons looking for better possibilities, for a better quality of life, escaping of poverty, social repression, discrimination, etc. Migration is considered one of the defining global issues of the early twenty-first century, as more and more people are on the move today than at any other point in human history. There are now about 192 million people living outside their place of birth, which is about three per cent of the world's population.
Women are a more vulnerable population, they migrate with their families and they need desperately a job. Employees that need persons in the manufacturing process take advantage of immigrants and make them work more hours for less money. This is what happens in Sri Lanka where immigrant women work many hours for little pay. Gender norms, lack of participation of women in politics and the division of labor are some aspects that bring as consequence the poor standards of work for women. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) through its gender mainstreaming policy is committed to ensuring that the particular needs of all migrant women are identified, taken into consideration and addressed by IOM projects and services.
IOM actively contributes to protecting women migrant workers from violence by implementing a range of activities in the following areas:
· Promotion of legal and safe migration for women migrant workers
· Promotion of policies that regulate the recruitment and deployment of women migrant workers
· Promotion and protection of women migrant workers’ human rights
· Counter-trafficking activities including capacity-building and direct assistance to victims
· Research and data collection on women and international labor migration
· Promotion of gender-sensitive international migration policies
· Fostering interstate dialogue and enhancing bilateral, regional, interregional and international cooperation.

Taken from:
(Gamburd R, Michele, Advocating Sri Lanka migrants workers, Critical Asian Studies, 41: 1 (2009), o61-088)
http://www.gemmaproject.eu/publicdocs/prevent_violence_against_wmw_2009.pdf
http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/about-migration/lang/en

Image taken from:
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/womenssm/womens03.jpg