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.

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.

Regulating international labour recruitment in the domestic work sector: A review of key issues, challenges and opportunities

Based on a report written by Leanne Melnyk. It addresses the process of international recruitment of workers and highlights both the specific needs and vulnerabilities faced by migrant domestic workers, as well as the main issues and challenges, and innovative practices for better regulation of international recruitment in the domestic work sector.

Central American migrant women in Mexico: Informality in recruitment and employment

This brief summarizes key findings from research undertaken by the ILO Global Action to Improve the Recruitment Framework of Labour Migration (REFRAME) project in 2018 (unpublished), with recent data included where available. The brief concludes with specific recommendations on how to improve conditions for this population to support the activities of the REFRAME project and the ILO Decent Work Agenda.

For Their Own Good? Addressing Exploitation of Women Migrant Workers

This paper is part of the IOM Migration Research Leaders Syndicate’s contribution toward the Global Compact for Migration. It is one of 26 papers that make up a consolidated Syndicate publication, which focuses on proposing ways to address complex and pressing issues in contemporary international migration. The Migration Research Leaders Syndicate, convened as part of IOM’s efforts to extend policy and technical expertise in support of the Global Compact for Migration, comprises senior researchers from diverse geographic, disciplinary and thematic backgrounds. The Syndicate provides a channel for leading experts in migration to propose ideas to meet the ambitious goals outlined in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants of September 2016.

In technical papers such as this one, Syndicate members were invited to identify and propose ways to resolve key conundrums currently posing challenges to international migration governance. To hone their proposals, they benefited from the input of advisors with experience in bridging policy and research, whether as senior non-migration scholars, former policy makers or prominent practitioners. The papers are short and crisp contributions that provide evidence-based, innovative ideas to improve international cooperation on fostering safe, orderly and regular migration.

How migration is a gender equality issue

Explore this interactive explainer produced by UN Women on women migrants and discover 9 impacts of migration on gender:

1. 1. Women migrant workers
2. 2. Migrant domestic workers
3. 3. Social protection
4. 4. Remittances
5. 5. Sexual and gender-based violence
6. 6. LGBTIQ+ migrants
7. 7. Human trafficking and smuggling
8. 8. Covid-19
9. 9. Access to information

Click here to discover the explainer.

Lessons Learned Part 3: Policy and programme responses to unfree labour in destination countries for migrant women workers

This document describes the lessons learned by the Work in Freedom programme on policy and programme responses to unfree labour in destination countries for migrant women workers. This compilation was preceded by an earlier edition of Lessons Learned in October 2021 on recruitment of migrant workers, and another one in April 2021, on outreach to migrant women in areas of origin.

This paper documents the lessons learned by the Work in Freedom Programme regarding policy and programme responses to unfree labour in destination countries for migrant women workers. While anti-trafficking programmes tend to pay significantly more attention to migration and recruitment, these lessons illustrate ten years of cumulated experience reducing vulnerability to forced labour in domestic and garment sectors of South and West Asia.