New report and guidance launched to help companies address exploitation of women migrant workers

• IHRB has published a new report highlighting the disproportionate and unique challenges facing women migrant workers worldwide, and the consistent failure on the part of governments and businesses to ensure the rights of women migrant workers are respected and protected in supply chains.
• Women migrant workers are more vulnerable to labour exploitation than men, stemming from discrimination in recruitment; earning on average twenty percent less than male migrant workers; and because a significant majority of women migrant workers carry out domestic work, an industry often overlooked by labour laws.
• Legal standards and international agreements are failing to protect women migrant workers. Sending states in many cases have reacted to reports of abuses by restricting the ability of women to migrate for work rather than ensuring their right to do so safely. While destination state governments often adopt a security-based approach to manage migration and overlook factors including gender, which make women migrant workers more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse during their migration journeys.
• Specific challenges facing women migrant workers seldom feature in major multilateral non-binding standards and guidelines on responsible business practices and fair recruitment, meaning very few businesses have paid attention to these workers as a group facing distinct issues and risks.
• The report provides specific recommendations in four key areas in supply chains: due diligence, recruitment, equal pay, and grievance mechanisms.

Respecting the Human Rights of Women Migrant Workers During Recruitment: A short Report for Businesses, published by the Institute for Human Rights and Business, sets out key challenges facing women migrant workers in their migration journey; gaps in protection provided by in international standards and national laws; and outlines measures that businesses can apply in their own operations to reduce the risk of exploitation in supply chains.

The report is being published alongside new guidance to the Dhaka Principles, which now includes a number of amendments and additions to help companies address the challenges facing women migrant workers. The Dhaka Principles are a set of human rights based principles intended to enhance respect for the rights of migrant workers from the moment of recruitment, during employment, and through to safe return.

• Carry out effective human rights due diligence. Companies should conduct gender-sensitive human rights risk assessments throughout their operations and supply chains, which include the issues of recruitment fees, debt bondage and forced labour.
• Invest in responsible recruitment systems. Companies should adopt recruitment models based on the Employer Pays Principle and end the practice of recruitment fees being charged to workers.
• Commit to equality and non-discrimination. Companies should employ and promote more women, particularly women migrant workers to supervisory and managerial positions.
• Make grievance mechanisms available. Companies should make reporting mechanisms available to migrant workforces and should include provisions to ensure that they are accessible and trusted by women migrant workers.

Julia Batho, IHRB’s Deputy CEO, said:

There are 70 million women migrant workers in the global workforce who make vital contributions to the societies and economies of their countries of origin and destination, yet far too many experience exploitation and abuse.”

This research shows the numerous points where women migrant workers are vulnerable to exploitation, as well as the shortcomings of international standards and laws to adequately protect their rights. In some cases, responses from sender and destination governments are making women more vulnerable to exploitation.

Using this report, companies can take action within their own operations, applying its recommendations, and the guidance for the Dhaka Principles, which now includes 40 new implementation points to help protect and respect the rights of women migrant workers.

• Respecting the Human Rights of Women Migrant Workers During Recruitment - A Short Report for Business
• Dhaka Principles for Migration with Dignity Implementation Guide - now with 40 new implementation points focused on women migrant workers. workers. The Dhaka Principles are a set of human rights based principles intended to enhance respect for the rights of migrant workers from the moment of recruitment, during employment, and through to safe return.