Showing papers in "Asian and Pacific Migration Journal in 2004"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed case records of 202 trafficked women at rehabilitation centers in Nepal and provided a clearer understanding of the stages of movement through the sex trafficking process; in particular that sex trafficking does not always begin at the village level, it may also occur after voluntary migration or after trafficking to urban areas for other purposes (i.e., labor exploitation).
Abstract: The aim of this study was to provide a clearer understanding of the process and context of sex trafficking from Nepal using data from trafficked women themselves. It develops a conceptual framework of the trafficking process and uses this to identify detailed strategies for reducing the risk of trafficking. Quantitative data were analyzed from case records of 202 sex-trafficked women at rehabilitation centers in Nepal. In-depth interviews with 42 sex trafficked women, mostly residing at rehabilitation centers in Kathmandu, provide contextual information on the process and circumstances of sex trafficking. The results of this study provide a clearer understanding of the stages of movement through the sex trafficking process; in particular that sex trafficking does not always begin at the village level, it may also occur after voluntary migration or after trafficking to urban areas for other purposes (i.e., labor exploitation). Interventions therefore need to target each stage of movement through sex trafficking. Respondents were most commonly sex trafficked by familiar persons, including relatives; and force and abduction are less common. Women exited from sex trafficking through rescue, escape or release. One of the outcomes of sex trafficking is a return to sex work upon return to Nepal.
78 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a research analyzing why and how migrants invest their money in financial self-help organizations was undertaken to better understand the effects of labor migration in Far West Nepal and India, and the major conclusion is that migration helps to improve income or security but can also undermine a household's financial situation by perpetuating debt and dependency.
Abstract: Labor migration to India is the most important source of income for people in Far West Nepal To better understand the effects of labor migration, a research analyzing why and how migrants invest their money in financial self-help organizations was undertaken Fieldwork was conducted in the communities of origin in Nepal and migrant communities in India Based on the study, the paper provides an overview of the existing financial self-help associations, their strengths and weaknesses, accessibility and possibilities of benefits and losses for the migrants and their families The major conclusion is that migration helps to improve income or security but can also undermine a household's financial situation by perpetuating debt and dependency
33 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a correlational analysis of migration and development indicators found that a high incidence of poverty in the regions associated with net out-migration is associated with high fertility rate of 4.1 children per woman.
Abstract: A high fertility rate of 4.1 children per woman and a huge population of women in the reproductive ages will exasperate poverty and increase migration pressures in Nepal. Those with resources are likely to emigrate for foreign employment while those without will engage in internal migration, which could add to the present level of poverty in the destination areas. A correlational analysis of migration and development indicators found a high incidence of poverty in the regions associated with net out-migration. The articles concludes that a consideration of migration dynamics needs to be integrated in poverty reduction strategies in Nepal.
33 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the economic and social consequences of labor migration from Kerala to the Gulf Region were reviewed, and the social consequences were assessed in terms of how labor migration has affected the care of the elderly and women's roles.
Abstract: This article reviews the economic and social consequences of labor migration from Kerala to the Gulf Region. In India, Kerala is both the major source of migrant workers and the primary recipient of workers' remittances. Based on a survey of 10,000 households in Kerala, the article presents the economic impacts of labor migration in terms of housing quality and amenities and ownership of consumer durables. The social consequences are assessed in terms of how labor migration has affected the care of the elderly and women's roles. A major policy challenge is preparing for the return of migrants.
25 citations
TL;DR: The argument here is that the discourse of perceiving FDWs as sexual ‘bodies' and transmitters of other infectious diseases is a metaphor for how the state perceives them — useful to Singapore for economic gains as long as they do not bring on costs.
Abstract: This paper describes foreign domestic workers' (POWs) vulnerability in Singapore. Due to the lack of regulatory laws mandating employers to pay health care costs and FDW ineligibility for national plans given their transient contract labor status, FDWs depend on employer generosity to provide for this need. Presently, the state's interest only includes particular aspects of FDW health. The argumenthere is that the discourse of perceiving FDWs as sexual 'bodies' and transmitters of other infectious diseases is a metaphor for how the state perceives them - useful to Singapore for economic gains as long as they do not bring on costs.
19 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors tried to study migrants' sexual behavior and sexual health as well as their attitudes towards extramarital sex and preventive practices during sex outside marriage and found that migrants staying away from their families are 3.6 times more likely to indulge in extramarreal sex than migrants staying with their families.
Abstract: Male outmigration has been a traditional feature of rural to urban migration in India. Many of these out-migrants are married and have left their families behind. This raises the question of whether men actually abstain or seek other sexual partners. To address this question, this paper attempts to study migrants' sexual behavior and sexual health as well as their attitudes towards extramarital sex and preventive practices during sex outside marriage Findings from thesurvey of 500 married male migrants suggest that migrants staying away from their families are 3.6 times more likely to indulge in extramarital sex than migrants staying with their families. The need for more information campaigns and providing recreational facilities for migrants living away from their families is suggested by the study.
18 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assess the use of health services among cross-border migrants from Myanmar who are now living in Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand and find that although the migrants can access government health facilities, they are still more likely to buy drugs or use herbal medicines for treating themselves when they have minor illnesses.
Abstract: This study assesses the use of health services among cross-border migrants from Myanmar who are now living in Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. The migrants comprise three main ethnic groups, namely the Burmese, Karen and Mon, most of whom have no formal education and are agricultural workers. Results indicate that although the migrants can access government health facilities, they are still more likely to buy drugs or use herbal medicines for treating themselves when they have minor illnesses, while the Thais are more likely to seek medical care from government facilities. The main difficulties for migrants in accessing health services are their legal status, financial constraints, and an inability to speak Thai. Moreover, health beliefs also determine the health-seeking behaviors of migrants, particularly among the Karen who believe in spirits and herbal medicine, while very few of the Burmese and the Mon do so. This leads to the conclusion that ethnicity is an important determinant of the utilization of health services by migrants from Myanmar in Kanchanaburi.
18 citations
TL;DR: This paper analyzed the patterns and trends of intermarriages between Filipina women and Japanese men from the 1980s to the present and presented the factors explaining the increase in such marriages and examined the characteristics of Japanese men married to Filipino women.
Abstract: This article analyzes the patterns and trends of intermarriages between Filipino women and Japanese men from the 1980s to the present. It presents the factors explaining the increase in such marriages and examines the characteristics of Japanese men married to Filipino women. The narratives of Filipina-Japanese couples are situated in the larger contexts of the family, community and society. In attempting to create a dynamic family model, these intermarriages reveal possibilities for new gender and cross-cultural relations.
18 citations
TL;DR: Current trends speak of a global migration chain which includes developing and poor countries as a source of SHPs to developed countries, suggesting that the PICs are likely to continue losing their SHPs, implying difficulties in responding to national health needs.
Abstract: This article deals with the migration of skilled health professionals (SHPs) in and from eight Pacific island countries (PICs) in the context of the globalization of the health workforce. Although ...
17 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors clarify how foreign domestic workers and local domestic workers (LDWs) compete and at the same time coexist with each other within Hong Kong's domestic work sector.
Abstract: This article aims to clarify how foreign domestic workers (FDWs) and local domestic workers (LDWs) compete and at the same time co-exist with each other within Hong Kong's domestic work sector. FDWs had dominated the domestic work sector since the 1970s but LDWs began offering competition in the late 1990s when the Hong Kong government instituted programs to rechannel displaced and unemployed local women into this sector. To promote the interest of these potential LDWs as well as to make them more competitive with the FDWs, the government provided them with skills training to enhance their employability. However the FDWs, with the aid of migrant-support NGOs and various FDW-organizations, endeavored to keep their space in the labor market by countering such initiatives. In time, the government had come to recognize that FDWs and LDWs respond to different clients and that both can be accommodated in the labor market.
14 citations
TL;DR: The mental health status of Asian immigrants in New Zea land is not well studied, the limited data that is available suggests that the mental disorder prevalence rates are similar to that of the general population, and that language problems, failure to find employment, separation from family and community, and traumatic experiences prior to migration are key factors associated with increased risk of minor mental disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Abstract: Although the mental health status of Asian immigrants in New Zea land is not well studied, the limited data that is available suggests that the mental disorder prevalence rates are similar to that of the general population, and that language problems, failure to find employment, separation from family and community, and traumatic experiences prior to migration are key factors associated with increased risk of minor mental disorders such as anxiety or depression. The research has also found that stigma is a major obstacle preventing Asian immigrants from using mainstream mental health services. Cultural differences in assessment and treatment, a lack of English proficiency and inadequate knowledge and awareness of existing services are additional barriers. These issues draw attention to the need for greater responsiveness to the needs of Asian service users and their families in the mental health system.
TL;DR: The gender dimensions of emigration and its implications for human development are explored in this article, where the authors suggest that deficits in huamn development, especially in relation to human security, underlie the emigration of Fiji citizens, particularly the Fiji Indians.
Abstract: Fiji Islanders have emigrated to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America since Fiji became independent in 1970. Emigration has continued since then with peaks during times of political crises, such as national elections. It has experienced troughs during periods of political stability and economic growth. The trends in Fiji suggest that deficits in huamn development, especially in relation to human security, underlie the emigration of Fiji citizens, particularly the Fiji Indians. The gender dimensions of emigration and its implications for human development are explored in this article.
TL;DR: In this article, the life experiences of some Bangladeshi women who have migrated from Bangladesh to India without proper authorization papers are described. But the authors focus on the life experience of the women in the Char Gaitanpur, an attached char of the Damodar River in southern West Bengal.
Abstract: Riverine islands (chars in Bengali or diaras in middle Gangetic plain) are common in deltaic lower Bengal and have often provided ideal places for the settlement of unauthorized migrants. Many of these chars are shifting, temporary and flood-prone, but some get stabilized with time although their legal status as “land” still remains contested. This article is about the life experiences of some Bangladeshi women who have migrated from Bangladesh to India without proper authorization papers. It is based on field surveys among very poor migrants in the Char Gaitanpur, an attached char of the Damodar River in southern West Bengal. Participatory research methods, group discussions and informal conversations were conducted with participants in the study. With little or no resources, the choura women undergo a long and hard struggle for survival in this land of high vulnerability. Overburdened with domestic chores as well as earning a living for their families, women form closely-knit social networks among them to facilitate their sustenance in this land of uncertainty.
TL;DR: This article analyzed the social activities of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong and Singapore in the context of the feminization of migration and classified these activities into those that are "masculine" and "feminine".
Abstract: This article analyzes the social activities of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong and Singapore in the context of the feminization of migration. It classifies these activities into those that mo...
TL;DR: While the health status of migrant female workers in the construction industry in North India have improved after migration, they have not started using modern health facilities either for childbirth or general illnesses.
Abstract: This study examines the health experiences of migrant female workers in the construction industry in North India by addressing the following four broad categories of issues: whatdothesewomen think about their health in general? Where do these women go for treatment when they are ill? What are their perceptions about the utilization of trained medical personnel or hospitals for childbirth? Does migration improve women's health and their utilization of health facilities and if yes, does duration of stay in an urban area matter? Based on focus group discussions (FGDs), the results suggest that while the health status of these women have improved after migration, they have not started using modern health facilities either for childbirth or general illnesses. The study recommends that in order to understand the impact of migration on migrant women working in the informal sector, we need to address the broader social environment within which their health behavior occurs. We also need to look at the geographical dimension of exposure to urban lifestyles and ideas besides exposure over time (i.e., whether longer or shorter duration of stay in urban areas) and age (i.e., whether they migrated at younger ages or older ages).
TL;DR: The authors examined the experiences of paid work and unpaid work of recent Mainland Chinese immigrant women in Hong Kong by looking at how institutional and social organizational processes affect immigrant women, and investigated how these women's lives have been transformed due to differences in the social organization of paid and unsaid work, as well as discriminatory policies and practices that underline their experiences.
Abstract: This article examines the experiences of paid work and unpaid work of recent Mainland Chinese immigrant women in Hong Kong by looking at how institutional and social organizational processes in Hong Kong affect immigrant women. Using information derived from in-depth interviews of 20 recent Mainland Chinese immigrant women and selected family members, the paper investigates how these women's lives have been transformed due to differences in the social organization of paid and unpaid work, as well as discriminatory policies and practices that underline their experiences.
TL;DR: The authors examines the temporary migration of information and communications technology (ICT) workers from India to Australia under the 457 temporary business entry visa category that was introduced in 1996 and analyzes the underlying causes for the considerable increase in numbers and points to some concerns connected to their temporary migration to Australia.
Abstract: This article examines the temporary migration of information and communications technology (ICT) workers from India to Australia under the 457 temporary business entry visa category that was introduced in 1996. The number of Indians arriving in Australia under this visa class has risen more rapidly than that of any major source country, suggesting the competitiveness of Indian ICT workers in the Australian labor market. The article examines the main characteristics of Indian ICT workers migrating temporarily to Australia, analyzes the underlying causes for the considerable increase in numbers and points to some concerns connected to their temporary migration to Australia.
TL;DR: This article examined notions of re-entry, or return migration, through the experiences of East Asian tertiary international students who had studied in New Zealand and argued that the reintegration of identity and place is crucial in ameliorating some of the reentry difficulties.
Abstract: This paper examines notions of re-entry, or return migration, through theexperiences of East Asian tertiary international students who had studied inNew Zealand. After identifying specific methodological contexts of re-entryfor these students, and briefly considering international students’ experi-ences in New Zealand, this article examines various transitions encounteredduring re-entry. These transitions center on expectations, a longing to belong,identity crisis, and a sense of homelessness and loss, as well as various socialresponses and other general transitions. The paper then argues that the re-integration of identity and place is crucial in ameliorating some of the re-entry difficulties, which also provides a useful conceptual framework tounderstand re-entry.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined Indian migrant workers' access to health care in Lebanon and made policy recommendations for sending and receiving countries, the implementation of which would contribute to the welfare and betterment of the health conditions of migrant workers.
Abstract: This paper examines Indian migrant workers' access to health care in Lebanon. The findings are based on quantitative and qualitative data collected in 1998 from a sample of 402 semi-skilled and unskilled migrant workers from India. The study tries to shed light on the plight of migrant workers, especially that of unauthorized ones, whose situation is compounded by meager income and the absence of a health insurance policy. High medical costs in Lebanon restrict migrants' access to health care, leaving many migrants to suffer from various diseases. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for sending and receiving countries, the implementation of which would contribute to the welfare and betterment of the health conditions of migrant workers.
TL;DR: The authors examines the migration of students from India to Australia and analyzes the main reasons for Australia's attractiveness for Indian students, discusses the characteristics pf Indians arriving on student visas and points to some recent controversies surrounding Indian student migration to Australia.
Abstract: There has been a marked increase in the migration of students worldwide, particularly from developing countries to developed countries. This article examines the migration of students from India to Australia. The number of Indians arriving in Australia on student visas has shown an increasing trend though numbers have fluctuated from year to year. The article examines the role of Australia's education export market, analyzes the main reasons for Australia's attractiveness for Indian students, discusses the characteristics pf Indians arriving on student visas and points to some recent controversies surrounding Indian student migration to Australia.
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper compared four aspects - demography, arrival conditions, employment and adaptation - of Chinese women migrants in New Zealand over three periods, before 1987, from1987 to1996 and after 1996.
Abstract: This study compares four aspects - demography, arrival conditions, employment and adaptation - of Chinese women migrants in New Zealand over three periods, before 1987, from1987 to1996 and after 1996. The two principal findings were, firstly, that the gender ratio of Chinese female migrants rose from well below 50 percent before 1987 to more than 52 percent in 2001. This may be attributed to the astronaut's wife phenomenon and the arrival of older females and younger females who have gained residency as parents or spouses. Secondly, female migrants who entered New Zealand after 1987 tend to have a higher education than previous migrants. However, the employment situation of recent arrivals seems unfavorable when compared with those who arrived in New Zealand before 1987. As a result, many recent arrivals undergo re-training to gain recognized qualifications to enhance their employment opportunities.
TL;DR: In China, the media often portray the floating migrant population as "childbearing guerrillas" as mentioned in this paper, that is, as persons who have moved to new locations, usually in urban areas, because they want to be free.
Abstract: In China, the media often portray the floating migrant population as “child-bearing guerrillas,” that is, as persons who have moved to new locations, usually in urban areas, because they want to es...
TL;DR: The authors investigates the experiences of Filipino women who have migrated from the Philippines to Tasmania, Australia and provides insights into the phenomenon of Filipino migration for marriage, questioning and challenging the many assumptions that are made about their migration and settlement.
Abstract: This paper investigates the experiences of Filipino women who have migrated from the Philippines to Tasmania, Australia. Commonly referred to as 'mail-order brides,' the women have migrated to Tasmania for the purpose of marriage, usually after a long process of letter writing and friendship. This paper argues that Filipino women in Tasmania do not always regard themselves as 'victims' as suggested in many scholarly and media representations of 'mail-order brides.' Instead, based on their accounts, this paper provides insights into the phenomenon of Filipino migration for marriage, questioning and challenging the many assumptions that are made about their migration and settlement.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the impact of urban-rural migration on Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) employees in three aspects, such as their perceptions of their new environment and living conditions, their worries, their ways of maintaining family ties and long-distance relationship, etc.
Abstract: This article attempts to evaluate the impact of urban-rural migration on Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) employees in three aspects. First, it analyzes the impact of migration on employees' personal lives, such as their perceptions of their new environment and living conditions, their worries, their ways of maintaining family ties and long-distance relationship, etc. Second, it examines the impact of migration on their work performance. Third, it examines how BRI tackles the demoralization problem through their human resource management policies. The study reveals the use of carrot-and-stick policies, such as promotion, bonus, allowances and incentives to offset the disadvantages of such a movement.