Lee, Sharon M.

"Issues in Research on Women, International Migration and Labor," Vol. 5 (1), p. 5-26, 1996.

The scale and complexity of international migration has made immigration a concern for many nations. Previous research on migration had generally failed to include studies of women as migrants and workers. With the increased participation of women in various migration systems, there is a growing research literature on women migrants and their work experiences. This paper discusses several themes that are useful in organizing research on women, migration, and work, and consists of four parts. It begins with a review of types of migration systems and highlight the importance of specifying migration systems when examining women migrants and work. The main theoretical approaches in migration and labor are discussed in the second part of the paper. This is followed by a section on several dimensions critical for research on women migrants. In particular, it shows that the effects of gender, race and ethnicity, social class, cohort, and history should be explicitly considered because the migration and labor market experiences of women migrants profoundly differ from that of men. The paper concludes with a discussion of some research and policy implications.
 

Truong, Thanh-Dam

"Gender, International Migration and Social Reproduction: Implications for Theory, Policy, Research and Networking," Vol. 5 (1), p. 27-51, 1996.

This paper aims to contribute to the development of an analytical framework that provides the space for the understanding of female migration as reproductive workers in a cross-national transfer of labor. It will first provide some hypothetical guidelines for the explanation of female migration in the context of reproductive labor. Based on accessible data, a discussion on the case of Japan will be presented to highlight the main issues and problems concerning female migrants as reproductive workers. Finally, implications on policy-making and networking at the international and national level will be discussed, taking into account the specific ideological, political and socio-economic constraints.
 

Michalowski, Margaret

"A Contribution of the Asian Female Immigrants into the Canadian Population," Vol. 5 (1), p. 53-83, 1996.

In Canada, the proportion of women among immigrants fluctuates around 50 percent, with a slight increase in recent years. Another important characteristic of immigration to the country is a radical change in the composition of origin of flows in the past three decades - European-dominated streams has been replaced by those originating mostly in Asia. This paper focuses on female Asian immigrants in Canada. The exploratory analysis of this population points to its significant diversity. This diversity is determined to a great extent by regional differences, and more precisely, by Asian countries' specific situations which produce distinct migration flows destined to Canada. Major Asian source countries of female immigrants (Hong Kong, Philippines, India, China, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Lebanon and Iran) give evidence to the growing importance of political push factors and sending countries' policies-facilitation factors as crucial determinants of international migration.
 

Lim, Lin Lean and Nana Oishi

"International Labor Migration of Asian Women: Distinctive Characteristics and Policy Concerns," Vol. 5 (1), p.85-116, 1996.

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.
 

Wong, Diana

"Foreign Domestic Workers in Singapore," Vol. 5 (1), p. 117-139, 1996.

This paper discusses the regulatory and economic context of Filipina migration into domestic waged labor in Singapore. It places this migration in the history of female rural-urban migration as well as the history of domestic labor in Singapore. Finally, it raises the question as to why domestic waged labor has persisted in the global capitalist economy.
 

Cheng, Shu-Ju Ada

"Migrant Women Domestic Workers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan: A Comparative Analysis," Vol. 5 (1), p. 141-154, 1996.

The concentration of women in certain occupations has been the main feature characterizing the feminization of migration in the Asian region during the last two decades. A gender-sensitive approach is essential in understanding the particular vulnerability facing these migrant women workers. This paper is concerned with the situation of migrant women domestic workers in East and Southeast Asia. It discusses the context of housework that has rendered migrant women domestic workers vulnerable to abuses and violence. It compares and contrasts the legal systems in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan and addresses the inadequacy of the respective legal systems in dealing with the vulnerability of these women workers. Using Hong Kong as a case, it discusses the measures that have been adopted to provide better protection for migrant labor. This paper suggests that, in order to provide effective protection for the rights of these women, it is important for respective governments to take into account the particular vulnerability facing them as a result of the context of their employment.