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UN Calls for Better Protection for Women Migrants

Governments worldwide must do more to protect a growing number of women from exploitation when they venture overseas to work and earn money for their families.

Almost half of the world's 191 million migrants are women, mainly from developing countries in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) said. These women send a larger chunk of their typically lower wages back home to support relatives than male migrants, making them a key factor in global poverty reduction, according to the UNFPA State of World Population 2006 study.

But policies designed to support migrants rarely account for the vulnerability of females to human trafficking and other forms of abuse -- a factor that must be changed to enable women to work safely and fulfil their earnings potential. "Migration can be a very positive win-win situation for both sending and receiving countries if it is well managed," UNFPA executive director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, told Reuters.

Women, who historically migrated for marriage or to join their families, are increasingly travelling abroad to work thanks to better transport and communication, said the report, which also highlights the plight of 10-24-year-olds who migrate.

UNFPA said overall remittances generated by male and female migrants came to an estimated 232 billion dollars in 2005, with the actual amount likely to be much higher because money transferred through informal channels was not counted.

Some 167 billion dollars of this goes to developing countries, making it the second largest source of external funding after foreign direct investment. This money helped to boost the local economy, improve child health care and reduce mortality rates. But UNFPA said more needed to be done to harness the long-term economic benefits.

Migration also carries risks, with many women ending up as prostitutes, over-worked domestic helpers or sweatshop workers. Another worrying trend was the number of professionals, such as nurses and doctors, from developing countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda -- where such skills are greatly needed -- who move overseas to find better-paid work.

Obaid said she hoped to raise awareness about the need for poor countries to educate people about their rights when working abroad. In return, nations on the receiving end should help immigrants to integrate smoothly. Contrary to fears that immigrants take jobs, drive down wages and are a burden on the state, UNFPA said the impact is often positive, with foreign workers filling the low-paying but essential roles that residents do not want.

Deborah Haynes. "UN calls for better protection for women migrants." Reuters. News. 6 September 2006.