Migration of women workers from south asia to the gulf

Given the increasing feminisation of international migration, this report focuses on the processes, outcomes and problems associated with the migration of women workers from South Asian countries to the Gulf region. These issues have been analysed through a detailed study of five 'sending' countries, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and six 'receiving' countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, highlighting the critical factors for promoting and sustaining the safe migration of women.

Basing itself on the experiences of women migrants-a majority of whom are engaged in domestic work-the study details their vulnerabilities at various stages of the migration cycle. The report also explores the roles and initiatives of different stakeholders at the international, national and local levels in improving the migration outcomes of women. It concludes by highlighting the policy contours and possible directions pertaining to the future of migration of women from South Asia. An important feature of the report are the detailed fact sheets on the demographic and migration profiles of the five sending and six receiving countries.