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Article

11 Mar 2018

Author:
Dana Graber Ladek, Bangkok Post

Commentary: Women migrant workers are paid less, relegated to jobs that expose them to exploitation, & subjected to gender-based violence during transit

"Female migrants hidden impetus behind economy", 9 March 2018

For millions of women today, migrating for work...provides an opportunity to advance socially, economically, and professionally...

Thailand...construction industry, for example, employs over 200,000 women -- almost 40% of all migrant construction workers. Migrant women also fill huge numbers of jobs perceived as "low status"....

Yet despite the important roles they play, migrant women continue to be undervalued by society. Even though they work equally hard and perform most tasks as well as men (hard physical labour being the notable exception), many continue to be paid less and have less access to training and careers. 

Migrant women also tend to be relegated to gender-specific job categories in industries that are less regulated. These include domestic work and entertainment, where wages are low and protection is minimal, leaving many vulnerable to exploitation. Far too often we read horror stories of domestic workers forced to work excessive hours, denied days off, subjected to physical and mental abuse, and, in extreme cases, assaulted, sometimes fatally, by their employers.

...Many are confounded by unique challenges, from unscrupulous brokers looking to mislead and cheat them before they leave the country, to gender-based violence during transit, to abusive labour practices and lack of access to social services in countries of destination.