Let’s turn our heads to Female Migration.

Migration is an opportunity for everyone. The world is yet to realize it!

We are starting a series of blogs to share the important aspects covered in our Podcasts. This edition talks about Female Migration.

Listen to the THE INDIA MIGRATION NOW PODCAST EPISODE 5

Figure 1 Major Sources of International Migration from India.

While migration was a predominantly male phenomenon during the 1960s and 70s, women have been migrating in ever-increasing numbers since the 1990s.

• The hidden sources of emigration: Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts of Telangana, India, send out lakhs of migrants to the Gulf countries, for better employment opportunities. Migration from this region is so rampant that from a village called Rampur in Nizamabad 1000 people were in Gulf, in January. The population of the village is 5000.
• Women and Children left behind: “I’ve seen people going to Gulf ever since I was a child. People get better opportunities but it has created psychological misbalance at the source. Women are raising children as “single parents” and the idea of a father for children has become very external. Father for them is someone who they talk to on Whatsapp!” says Mr. Bheem Reddy who has been working with the emigrants of Telangana for over two decades.
• Prominence of Female Emigration from Andhra Pradesh to Gulf: Breaking myths of female migration from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Lissy Joseph tells us, “Around a decade back, I was saw around 200 300 women surrounding the Hyderabad POE office. I found out that these women had come for Emigration Clearance. I also met some women who had migrated and faced violence.”
• Vulnerabilities of Female Migrants: The East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh send out female migrants in large numbers. They are often cheated and made to do domestic work at destination. This makes them so ashamed of their work that in most cases women don’t tell people in the community that they are migrating.

Figure 2 Source

• Awareness among Migrants: Dr. Lissy says that increasing awareness among women migrants has made them more confident and that has improved the conditions after they migrate. She got an MOU to enter the POE office and started giving female migrants Pre Departure Orientation. They handed out notes, with pictures to showcase their rights after they migrate.

Only if women have the freedom and agency to migrate, will we be able to reap the benefits of migration.