“Female Migrant Workers in Bhutan’s Liquor Industry”

…One such factory we refer to by the pseudonym of “Himalayan Distillery.”… The majority of the workface in this factory consists of single women labor migrants…

… Single female-headed households in rural Bhutan are therefore identified as particularly economically vulnerable…

… and the intervening period witnessed a steep rise in internal migration in Bhutan… the Himalayan Distillery serves as a symbol of hope, granting employment opportunities and financial independence to marginalized groups of mostly undereducated women…

The factory prefers to recruit single women as they are seen as more flexible in their working hours, including their willingness to work night-shifts and overtime…

… Toilets must be shared between residents and this at times makes maintaining hygiene a challenge…

Due to the constrained toilet and water facilities, women are regularly compelled to bathe in open areas near public water taps. This compromises their privacy and makes them feel vulnerable…

… They worried about the social stigma that existed against women employed in the alcohol industry….

… There are instances in which workers who have been regularized (permanent workers) assert dominance over newly hired casual workers…

… As she is a “casual worker,” the factory pays her for the number of shifts she works. This income barely covers the house rent…