International Labor Migration of Asian Women: Distinctive Characteristics and Policy Concerns

The feminization of women in international labor migration has been most pronounced in the case of Asia, with women moving in their own right as economic migrants and faced with regulatory and social constraints, gender discrimination and exploitation in countries of origin and destination. Asian countries, both sending and receiving, have been experimenting with gender-sensitive migration policies and programs. This paper describes the characteristics of Asian female labor migration, examines policy dimensions and suggests action to bridge the gaps between policy dimensions and implementation.