UNDP Report outlines policies for sending and host countries to protect migrant women

“Many migrant workers around the world are subject to exploitation and mistreatment, and
that is a worldwide problem that we are very concerned about.” says Engr. Khandaker
Mosharraf Hossain, Honourable Minister for Labour, Employment, Expatriate Welfare and
Overseas Employment “Host countries and countries of origin have an equal responsibility to
provide protective policies and programmes. However, progress is being made and there is
more dialogue between origin and host countries which is helping us ensure that migrant’
rights are respected and protected while they are abroad.”
People move to other countries in search of improving their economic status. Often they are
pushed into migrating because of poverty, socio-economic instability and inequality, political
unrest, gender inequity, uneven distribution of resources and/or natural disasters. Without
adequate preparation and knowledge about the various risks associated with movement few
are aware of their vulnerability to HIV and human trafficking or know how to protect
themselves says the UNDP-OKUP study.
“When analyzing the unsafe conditions that Bangladeshi women face when migrating to work
overseas, we found that the absence of laws and regulations in the recruitment process for
migrant domestic workers and the poor working conditions they face once on site render
women very vulnerable, altogether contributing to a higher risk of contracting HIV” says
Shakirul Islam Lead Researcher and chairman of OKUP. “Inadequate pre-departure
orientation on HIV and health vulnerabilities for departing migrants is also a big gap. Most
importantly, although migrants are included in the country’s national strategic plan for
HIV/AIDS, there is no national HIV response for migrant workers” he says.
A majority of Bangladeshi migrants – around 60 per cent – find jobs through family networks
and do not receive adequate pre-departure briefing. For instance the Government’s Bureau of
Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) runs just one pre-departure briefing centre for
the whole country. Coupled with the weak monitoring system, the inability to reprimand
defaulting recruitment agents, and loopholes in existing laws all contribute to continued
violations of the compulsory pre-departure briefing policy.
The Bangladesh study, forms one of the country chapters of the regional report titled: HIV
vulnerabilities faced by women migrants: from Asia to the Arab states launched earlier in
March 2009.
“The regional report highlights that the deportation of HIV-positive migrants by host
countries and the absence of reintegration programmes in countries of origin can be
devastating for the health, well-being, and livelihoods of migrants and their families” says
Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP HIV Team Leader and Regional Programme Coordinator “There is an
urgent need to set up effective reintegration programmes for returning migrants and ensure
their access to health services and livelihood options.”
For information:
In Bangladesh: sakil.faizullah@undp.org Tel: +88 01713049900
In India: surekha.subarwal@undp.