Indian Council of World Affairs

This project was commissioned to Centre for Development Studies. Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Project Overview

Although migration of women migrant workers, especially housemaids/domestic workers is a very small percentage of overall emigration from India to ECR countries, the issue requires attention of the GOI which regulates this stream of migration; state governments which grapple with the repercussions; Indian missions which address problems faced by Indian women workers abroad; and other key stakeholders.

The number of ECRs granted to women migrant workers increased from 11,818 in 2008 to 21,563 in 2013 with 76% of ECRs granted from the Hyderabad PoE Office alone. Data shows that 16587 (2013) out of a total of 19892 (2013) have emigrated from Andhra Pradesh followed by Kerala (1706), Tamil Nadu (856), Karnataka (293), Goa (181) and Maharashtra (105). This indicates that nearly every housemaid under the ECR category has origin in the South India.

Although the numbers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu are quite low when compared to Andhra Pradesh, almost every woman migrant worker is from South India. Andhra Pradesh is a major source state for this category of migrant workers. Hyderabad PoE in Andhra Pradesh ranks first with 16316 ECs out of 19892 just alone in 2013.

In 2013, 19161 out of 19892 housemaids migrated to Kuwait under ECR category followed by UAE (369), Oman (214), Bahrain (61) and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (60) for 2013. Kuwait has been the prominent destination consistently from 2009. In 2013 Kuwait was the destination of 89% of women migrant workers (19210 out of 21563) followed by UAE, Oman and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The emigration of women migrant workers under the ECR category to Kuwait increased from 3,319 (2008) to 19210 (2013). Whereas in the same period, the number declined from 6707 (2008) to 388 (2013) w.r.t. Oman.

Project Objectives and Deliverables

There was an imminent need to research into and understand the reasons for their emigration, the impact on societies both at origin and destination, the nature of regulation in place for ensuring the safety and protection of women migrant workers and various schemes and measures instituted by both sending and receiving countries.

Migration of women workers leaves a deep impact on both the families and societies they leave behind. This necessitates a thorough understanding of the pull and push factors that sustain this phenomenon and reasons why Andhra Pradesh continues to be a major source for these workers.

To examine the source districts for women domestic workers from India specifically districts of East and West Godavari and YSR Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh and Karim Nagar, Nizamabad and Hyderabad in Telangana, ICM and CDS conducted the study seeking to;

1. Collect data on women domestic workers to Gulf countries and analyze the patterns, processes, causes and consequences of migration from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
2. Conduct Field Visits, Case Studies, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews in five districts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, particularly in villages known for sending women domestic workers.
3. Analyze migrant domestic worker’s socio-economic profiles and reasons for Gulf emigration.
4. Construct the migration cycle of migrant women domestic workers and identify challenges.
5. Examine the role of key stakeholders, particularly recruitment agents/middlemen.
6. Analysis of specific regulatory measures (30 years) and Bank Guarantee (USD 2,500).
7. Review National/State level Institutional Support for Women Migrants/Domestic Workers.
8. Submit specific policy recommendations and actionable items to the Ministry.

Research Methods

The targeted sample size for the study was 100 Emigrants (Households), 100 Return Emigrants, 20 case studies, 10 Key Informant Interviews of NGOs and Local Authorities and 10 Focus Group Discussions. Data was collected from three districts of Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari; West Godavari and YSR Kadapa) and two districts of Telangana (Karim Nagar & Nizamabad and Hyderabad). This included semi-structured interviews among 131 Emigrants and 120 Return Emigrants surveyed in both states; 31 in-depth case studies among return migrants; and semi-structured Focus Group Discussions led in each district engendering open-ended dialogue. In addition, data was collated, and interviews were conducted with Key Informants in-persons, over the phone and over email.

Project Output

The study provided an overview of domestic work emigration from the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It also presented a critical analysis of recruitment practices, the role of migration and recruitment stakeholders and provided an analysis of migrant women’s’ experiences across the migration cycle: pre-departure, departure, at the destination, return/repatriation, resettlement and remigration.

The study concludes with a discussion of current migration legislation and institutional frameworks, the potential for fair and formal domestic work migration and policy recommendations to promote safe, gender-responsive migration.

The project was closed in 2018.

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