WIA1993 2n3cover

Women and Migration

Editorial Team La Rainne Abad-Sarmiento, Dominga Anosan, Belinda Giron-Arcilla, MarileeKarl.Lakshmi Menon, Elizabeth S. Reyes, Lucia Pavia Ticzon
Issue Editor Lucia Pavia Ticzon
Managing Editor Elizabeth S. Reyes
Editorial Assistant Anabee Concepcion
Desktop Layout Lesley Stansfield
Cover Design and Graphics Grace de Jesus-Sievert
ISSN 101-5048

 

Editorial   4
Letter from our readers   5
ANALYSES AND PROPOSALS FOR ACTION    
Understanding Asian Women in Migration: Towards a Theoretical Framework by May-an Villalba   8
Domestic Workers in Transient Overseas Employment: Who Benefits? Who Profits? by Noeleen Heyzer and Vivienne Wee   24
Returned Women Domestics: What's in Store for Them? by Anabee Concepcion   28
Future Action in the Interest of Foreign Women Domestic Workers   31
Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies on Migrant Women   33
Migrant Workers and the ILO   34
TYPES AND CASES    
Military Occupation and Prostitution Tourism in Asia by Tono Haruhi   35
Mail Order Brides in Australia by Kathleen Maltzahn and Chat Garcia   37
Traffic in Women to Japan by Taukamoto Yumi (translation by Martha Ono)   41
Outrageous Victimization of Female Laborers and Tribals by Yvonne Lin Mei-jung   43
From Dok Kam Tai Girls to Bangkok Masseuses by Pasuk Phongpaichit   45
The Plight of Women Entertainers in Japan by Carmelita G. Nuqui   48
The Impact of Turkish Women's Migration to Europe by Ayse Kudat   53
When Women Have to Sell their Bodies: Migrant Workers i n Abidjan by Andre Jacques   56
Internal Migration in Peru by Christina Jones   58
Empowering Women Workers in Australian Industry by Sevgi Kilic   60
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS    
Thai Women's Voices   66
Growing Up in the United States by Luz Martinez   67
Wanita's Story   70
NETWORKS    
SOLWODI in Germany by Marion Feuerstein and Antje Bertenrath   71
A Shelter for Filipino Migrant Women by Charito Basa   73
NOIVMWC in Canada by Carmencita R. Hernandez   74
The House of Hope in Vieux-Molenbeek, Brussels, Belgium by Loredana Marchi   75
WICH in Australia by Sevgi Kilic   76
BABAYLAN - Networking of Filipinas in Europe   77
SENDING, RECEIVING AND IN-COUNTRY MIGRATION PROFILES    
Philippines, Colombia, and Costa Rica/Paraguay   78
Laos, Nepal and Sri Lanka   80
Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan   82
Canada, Hong Kong and Australia   84
About IsIs International   86

 

PATTERNS OF MIGRATION

TYPES OF WORK

Canada
  • Receiving country-

Permanent resident 

Domestic workers on temporary employment authorization

  • Internal migration of indigenous people
  •  Immigrant women at highest and lowest point of the scale
High- managerial/ administrative 
Low- Service occupations
Processing
Fabricating
Assembly

Sewing Machine operators

Hong Kong
  • Receiving country from Asia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Sending country

 84.5%of all migrant workers in Hong Kong are domestic helpers:

Filipino       90.2%
Thai            6.2%
Indonesian   1.66%

Indian         1.15%

The remaining 15.5% 

Professionals/ managers
Technical experts
Semi-skilled workers
Catering industry

Construction workers

  • Prostitution
  • Work in sex tourism industry

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

***************************************

 

 Australia
  • Receiving country from Asia, Europe, Middle East, USA, Central and South America and Africa
  • Wide range of jobs - from professionals to self-employed business women to unskilled labor

 

CAUSES OF MIGRATION

EFFECTS AND PROBLEMS FACED BY MIGRANT WOMEN

RESPONSES BY GO/NGOs

 PUSH/ PULL FACTORS-

  • Push

Militarization, poverty, human rights violations

  • Pull

Desire for better job opportunities, health, peace, order, lifestyle, higher salary

  • Exploitation of the land
  • Language barriers
  • Workplace offers little control over shifts and working conditions
  • Need for childcare services
  • Support groups and networks' recommendations-
Provisions for language training at workplace
Special projects at community level to facilitate integration

Monitoring Canadian job strategy program as it relates to migrant women
  • Poverty
  • Hong Kong is need for migrant workers to ease tight local labor market
  • Women's need to make money due to prematurely terminated contracts
  • Augment a domestic helper's income
  • Agents trapping them in Hong Kong and forcing them into prostitution

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • "Fear of repercussion in 1997 due to the change in sovereignty

 

 

 

 
  • Squalid working conditions
  • Physical and sexual assault
  • Loneliness, alienation
  • Loss of dignity
  • Emotional and psychological trauma
  • Health risks
  • Exploitation

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Stressful to the family
  • Separation of family members change lifestyle
  • Lack of direct communication
  • Threats to family stability 

 
  • Service from support groups

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

********************************************
  • Family reunions
  • Educational and business opportunities
  • Humanitarian and political reasons
  • Poverty
  • Refugees
  • For non-European background:
Language barriers
Loneliness
Financial difficulty
Non-recognition of overseas qualification and skills
Inaccessibility of government services

Culture shock and racism
  • Community services-
Ethnic community groups
Advisory bodies

Sports and cultural clubs

  • Government Services-
Migrant education services
Anti-discrimination board
Women's refuge
Legal aid
Health services

Telephone interpreter service (24 hours)

  • Charitable organizations' service

 

PATTERNS OF MIGRATION

TYPES OF WORk

Thailand
  • Sending country
  • Internal migration
  • Across borders migration
  • Domestic help
  • Factory work
  • Selling
  • Prostitution
  • Work in sex tourism industry (a result of international migration) flourishes because:
    • social value of self-sacrifice for the good of the family;
    • the value of a "mistress" to the men;
    • government's tourism policy 

Malaysia
  •  Receiving country
  • Internal migration
  • Factory work
  • Prostitution
  • Work in sex tourism industry (although no too rampant due to Muslim religion)

Taiwan
  •  Receiving country

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Internal migration
  • Prostitution
  • Domestic help
  • Mail- order bride
  • Factory work

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Aboriginese teenage women into prostitution

 

 

 CAUSES OF MIGRATION

 EFFECTS AND PROBLEMS FACED BY MIGRANT WOMEN

RESPONSES BY GOs/NGOs

ECONOMY

  • Industrialization created an increased need for cheap labor
  • Exploitation of land and natural resources forced movement from rural areas
  • Dry season forces seasonal migration in order to augment family income

SOCIAL

  • Desired change of income, occupation or social mobility
  • Poverty and low educational attainment forced women into unskilled labor

POLITICAL

  • Militarization
  • Government projects such as reforestation

 Although supposedly beneficial to the economy, there are several effects to the women involved:

  • Separation from the family
  • Emotional and psychological trauma due to maltreatment
  • Physical health problems including AIDs
  • Loss of self respect and feelings of guilt and shame because of prostitution
  • Migrant women are at the mercy of their agents
  • Gender bias in jobs
  • Difficulty in saving money because of high cost of living and consumerism
  • Grouping within the community provides support in times of crisis

NGOs

  • Education and information
  • Support for local economic schemes
  • Campaigning at policy level to stop environmental destruction
  • Information dissemination to foreign "friends"

GOs

  • Provide vocational training
  • Increase opportunities for higher education
  • Expand health services
  • Poverty
  • Job benefits
  • Exciting, fast-paced lifestyle in the city
  • An attraction to western culture and ideas which seem to be an acceptable norm in a fast growing economy
  • Many young women are duped into prostitution by family or friends
  • Media plays a role in perpetuating the mail-order bride phenomena by portraying women as sweet, submissive and seductive
  • Health risks
  
  • Lack of communication
  • Low educational level
  • Rampant alcoholism
  • Insufficient crops to feed families
  • No employment opportunities
  • Consumerism
  • Parents selling their female children into prostitution
  • Poverty
  • Lack of employment opportunities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Poverty
  • Desire to earn money to help families
  • Desire to improve way of life

 

 
  • Cultural breakdown
  • Physical and mental trauma
  • 'Under the table recruitment'= illegal status
  • Migrant women cannot voice out their protest
  • Vulnerable to exploitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Cultural and communication differences leading to breakdown of marriage
  • Problems with in-laws
  • Physical violence
  • Prostitution illegalized
  • Pimps, customers and guardians who sell their children into prostitution are penalized
  • Law passed stating that girls will not be returned to unfit guardians
  • Educational lectures on the dangers of living in the city
  • Support group providing for:

Language classes

Labor laws

Chinese culture and society

  • Financial assistance for medical needs

+++++++++++++++++++++

  • Support groups

 

 

Isis International - Manila Board of Trustees:

La Rainne Abad Sarmiento, Marilee Karl, Noeleeri Heyzer, Sr. Mary John Mananzan, Ana Maria R. Nemenzo, Lucia Pavia Ticzon, Maria Villariba.

Isis International - Manila Coordinators:

La Rainne Abad Sarmiento, Marilee Karl, Lucia Pavia Ticzon.

Isis International Associates:

Isis International has a group of Associates, women from different parts of the world who support our aims, give advice and collaborate in our programs.

Our current Associates are:

Anita Anand, India; Peggy Antrobus, Barbados; Marie Assaad, Egypt; Judith Astellara, Spain; Suzanne Aurelius, Chile; Brigolia Bam, South Africa; Nita Barrow, Barbados; Jessie Bernard, USA; Rekha Bezboruah, India; Kamla Bhasin, India; Adelia Borges, Brazil; Boston Women's Health Collective, USA; Elise Boulding, USA; Charlotte Bunch, USA; Ximena Bunster, Chile; Ah Fong Chung, Mauritius; Giuseppino Dante, Italy; Miranda Davies, U.K.; Corinne Kumar D'Souza, Indid; Elisabeth Eie, Norway; Akke van Eijden, the Netherlands; Magdo Enriquez, Nicaragua; Foo Gaik Sim, Malaysia; Maria Girardet, Italy; Saralee Hamilton, USA; Karin Himmelstrand, Sweden, Devaki Jain, Indid; Kumori Jayawardena, Sri Lanka; Annette Kaiser, Switzerland; Nighot Khan, Pakistan; Geertje Lycklamo, the Netherlands; Giovonna Merola, Venezuela; Robin Morgan, USA; Vivian Mota, Dominican Republic; Magoly Pineda, Dominican Republic; Ana Maria Portugal, Peru; Rhoda Reddock, Trinidad and Tobago; Luz Helena Sanchez, Colombia; Olga Amparo Sanchez, Colombia; Adriana Santa Cruz, Chile; Marie-Angelique Savane, Senegal; Else Skonsberg, Norway; Cecilia Torres, Ecuador; Moema Viezzer, Brazil.

Founders of isis International: Jane Cottinghom and Marilee Karl.

Isis International
85-A East Maya Street
Philamlife Homes, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel: (632) 997512;993292;996343

Fax; (632) 997512 (Manila office hours only)

Commercial Fax; Attn. ISISINTMNL

(632) 815-07-56;817-97-42;921 -26-9

E-Mail Address; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Isis Internacional
Casillas 2067 - Correo Central
Santiago, Chile
Tel; (562) 633 45 82

Fax: (562) 638 31 42

E-Mail Address; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Isis International is an international non-governmental Women's organization, founded in 1974 to promote the empowerment of women through information sharing, communication and networking. Its network reaches over 50,000 individuals and organizations in 150 countries, from grassroots groups to policy makers. Isis International's activities include resource centers and information sharing, publications and communications, health networking, advocacy of women's issues and skills sharing. It has two offices, one in Santiago, Chile and the other in Manila, Philippines.

Isis International Resource Center

The Resource Center of each office houses a collection of documentation and information from all over the world on a wide range of development and women's issues. This information is processed by the Resource Center and Information Program of each office and incorporated into bibliographic, human resources and data bases. It is made available to all interested groups, institutions and individuals through information services and specialized publications including resource directories, bibliographic catalogues and publications on specific themes. The Resource Centers are also open to visitors.

Regular Resource Center publications include the bilingual Base de Datos Mujer - Women's Data Base and Documentas, a bibliographic bulletin in Spanish, from our office in Chile and Resource Update, a bibliographic bulletin and Information Packs on key issues, in English from our office in the Philippines.

Isis International Publications

The Communication Networking Program of each office publishes a quarterly magazine: Mujeres en Accion. in Spanish, from our office in Chile and Women in Action, in English, from our office in the Philippines. These publications bring together information, analyses and perspectives about and from women around the world and serve as communication channels for sharing ideas, experiences and models of organization and action. Books on key issues are published twice a year in Spanish through the Isis Internacional Ediciones de las Mujeres in Chile and on an occasional basis in English through the Isis International Book Series in the Philippines.

The Women's Health Journal in English is published by the Health Networking Program of our office in Chile with the collaboration of the office in the Philippines. The office in Chile also publishes the Spanish language Revista de la Red Salud de las Mujeres Latino Americanos y del Caribe. Women Envision, a monthly newsletter in English is published by the Advocacy and Campaigns Program in our office in the Philippines. It contains information on activities leading up to the World Conference and NGO Forum in China 1995 and other international meetings and campaigns.

Health Networking

The Health Networking Program of our office in Chile coordinates the Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network while the office in the Philippines undertakes health networking activities in the Asia-Pacific Region. Both offices offer health information services and resource materials.

Advocacy, Campaigns and Policy

Our office in Chile coordinates the Information and Policy Program on Violence Against Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Advocacy and Campaigns Program of the office in the Philippines produces Action Alerts on campaigns, actions and solidarity appeals of women's groups andnetworks around the world

Networking Services

Both offices offer referral and assistance to individuals and organizations, locally and internationally in linking W\\h others around the world.

Training

Both offices offer technical assistance and training in communication and information management and in the use of new information technologies.

 

 PATTERNS OF MIGRATION

 TYPES OF WORK

 Laos
  • Sending country
  • Internal migration (before and after tfie revolutbn)
  • Waitressing
  • Bar work
  • Prostitution

 Nepal
  • Sending country
  • Internal migration
  • Across the border to India
  • Garment and carpet factory work
  • Prostitution (not practised openly) middle class prostituted women for foreign clientele
  • Work in sex tourism industry

Sri Lanka
  • Sending country to Middle East, Europe, Asb (Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Internal migratbn

 

******************************

  • +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  • Factory work
  • Semi-skilled work
  • Prostitution
  • Work in sex tourism industry

 CAUSE OF MIGRATION

EFFECTS AND PROBLEMS FACED BY MIGRANT WOMEN

 RESPONSES BY GOs/NGOs

BEFORE THE REVOLUTION

  • Militarization (i.e. where there were soldiers based, ther were also clubs)
  • Poverty

AFTER THE REVOLUTION

  • Irrproved relations with otfier countries boosted tourism and thie need for sex workers and entertainers
  • Commercbl clubs flourished
  • Increase in soial problems
Rate of divorce
Orphans
Thievery
  • Increased health risks

 AFTER THE REVOLUTION

  • Sex workers sent to re-education centers to be treated and trained
  • Laos Women's Union - helping development in all aspects of women's lives
  • Government recognition of women as a key to economic advancement
  • Extreme poverty
  • Change from barter to cash system
  • Regional disparities - an imbalance between highlands and lowlands in agricultural resources  
  • Women, left by their husbands to find work, live like widows and are prey to other men
  • The large number of workers competing for the same factory jobs are vulnerable to exploitation
  • The congestion of cities with people looking for jobs, forces women into prostitution
  • Health risks
  • Government illegalized trafficking of women
  • NGOs conducting awareness workshops in heavy trafficking areas
  • Conducting in-depth research
  • Poverty, unemployment
  • Lack of opportunities
  • North/East conflict 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Search for employment in the free trade zone
  • Migration to areas coming within development projects which have necessary infrastructure for cultivation and industries
  • Government sponsored re-settlement in Tamil areas
  • Search for safer areas because of ethnic tension
  • Poverty
  • Ignorance
  • Hotel industry enticing young women in order to boost tourism
  • Inability to adjust to new jobs, country, traditions, customs, workload, etc.
  • Homesickness
  • Violation of employer/employee contract
  • Language barriers
  • Sexual abuse
  • Mental and Physical abuse

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Rise in social diseases
  • Sexual and physical harassment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  • Migrant worker's training project - On housekeeping, financial management, provides counseling, help with travel formalities and language
  • Labor officers take steps to ensure US$100 minimum wage
  • Attempts to eliminate illegal and unlicensed agents

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  • Create multi-sectoral task force
  • Awareness and rehabilitation program
  • Legislation to prevent hoteliers from admitting or recruiting young women into prostitution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  1. Philippines, Colombia, and Costa Rica/ Paraguay
  2. BABAYLAN - Networking of Filipinas in Europe
  3. WICH in Australia
  4. The House of Hope in Vieux-Molenbeek, Brussels, Belgium