Women migrant workers

Our key takeaway: In 2021, there were an estimated 70 million women migrant workers in the world. These women face unique challenges because many come from culturally and racially marginalised communities, work in informal employment which lack labour and social protections, and experience exploitation during the recruitment stage, once they arrive at their destination, and when they return home. So what can companies do? IHRB says quite a lot! As a first step, companies can 1) provide decent work to women migrant workers and ensure they get paid the same as others; 2) employ and promote more women, particularly women migrant workers, to supervisory and managerial positions; 3) make sure that policies and processes look at the unique vulnerabilities and discrimination that women, especially women migrant workers, face; and 4) create and implement corporate policies that respect the rights of domestic workers, including women migrant workers, who are employed in the households of company staff.

The Institute for Human Rights and Business published Respecting the human rights of women migrant workers during recruitment: a short report for businesses (March 2024):

• Key challenges that women migrant workers face: In 2021, there were an estimated 70 million women migrant workers. These women are particularly vulnerable because most come from culturally and racially marginalised communities and work in informal employment where there are very few labour protections. Add to this the challenges that they face during their migration journey during the recruitment phase, once they arrive at their destination, and when they return home. For instance, women can face “lack of access to reliable information due to illiteracy, restriction of movement and lack of access to technology, which increase risks of exploitation and gender-based violence at the hands of traffickers and agents” during the recruitment phase. Once they arrive at their destination, women can face low wages; labour exploitation; a gendered labour market; gender-based violence and harassment; restricted access to healthcare, advice and grievance mechanisms; workplace restrictions on freedom of movement and association; intersectional discrimination; and social isolation. Furthermore, women can face discrimination and ostracisation for leaving home and challenging gender norms, and being left without work, property or personal savings on their return.
  

• The business case for companies: The report outlines the business case for companies to address the human rights risks and impacts that women migrant workers experience. Failure to do so can cause reputational damage: “[a]llegations that women face fee-charging, debt bondage and other modern slavery risk factors present serious risks to brand value and company reputation, particularly for consumer-facing businesses, threatening investor, stakeholder and consumer relations.” It can also exclude companies from public procurement contracts: “[r]esponsible recruitment and not charging recruitment fees to workers are also increasingly requirements within public procurement regulations that apply directly to companies providing goods or services to governments.” In the same vein, working to respect the rights of women migrant workers will have business advantages: “proactive engagement, due diligence and transparency on recruitment practices can have a positive impact on company reputation, legal compliance and stakeholder relations, and strengthen business partnerships including with suppliers.”
  

• Recommendations for companies: The report recommends that companies implement concrete steps to address the human rights violations that women migrant workers face. These include: 1) “providing decent work to women migrant workers, with a strict policy of equal pay for equal work”; 2) “employing and promoting more women, particularly women migrant workers to supervisory and managerial positions, as this can help to reduce discriminatory practices in the workplace”; 3) "ensuring that policies and procedures include specific consideration of issues affecting women migrant workers, particularly gender-based violence and discrimination”; and 4) “developing and implementing corporate policies that respect the rights of domestic workers, including women migrant workers, who are employed in the households of company staff.”