Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Delegates,

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) appreciates
the opportunity to address this Committee today in relation to the
Secretary General's report on "Violence against women migrant
workers" (A/62/177).

While trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation is the most
visible and prominent form of violence against women migrant
workers, it is certainly not the only one. More than half of the
world's 195 million migrants are women. And while they have always
migrated as spouses and family members, migration dynamics have
shown a considerable increase in the number of women migrating
independently of their families to pursue opportunities of their
own. This should be acknowledged as evidence of the greater
autonomy and self-determination enjoyed by increasing numbers of
women the world over.

Yet, the so-called feminization of migration represents all too
often a dangerous and unsafe experience. Migrant women, due to
their increased dual vulnerability (as a migrant and a female) are
still disproportionately affected by a variety of risks arising
from their mobility.  The crisis of summer 2006 in Lebanon,
for instance,  brought to the surface the magnitude of the
problem faced by women migrant workers in conjunction with
unscroupolous recruitment mechanisms and exploitative labour
practices. The overwhelming majority of the 13,000 migrant workers
who had been evacuated by IOM in cooperation with national
authorities and countries of origin were females migrants employed
as domestic workers.     A socio-economic
assessment of the conditions of this large pool of individuals has
revealed concerns, difficulties and at times mistreatments
typically affecting female migrants at work in informal and
unregulated sectors. The overwhelming majority of migrants assisted
during the conflict consisted of single women in their 20's and
30's, and as many as 50 per cent found themselves in an irregular
or undocumented status. With all due caution with respect to
potential over-generalization of what should be handled as
individual cases, many instances of abuse, withholding of
passports, breach of work contract, non payment of salaries, use of
coercion and refusal to let workers leave their jobs, have been
reported. Examples of trafficked cases had also been identified

Mr. Chairman,

As the case above documents, even those women who avoid the
trafficking networks are not exempt from vulnerabilities arising
from employment in gender-segregated sectors that are largely
informal and unregulated. This vulnerability increases when the
woman is undocumented as she has less access to protection from the
receiving state. The risk of such working conditions as well as of
physical and psychological abuse is even greater for domestic
workers as their relative isolation further limits access to health
and social services or consular protection.

Besides abusive situations, women migrant workers are often
facing hazardous working conditions. Many are exposed to serious
health risks, such as those in the maquila factories and other jobs
with dangerous or unhealthy working conditions.

Moreover, there is the wide area of sexual and physical abuse.
Many women migrant workers are virtual prisoners in workshops,
private homes, and the dormitory-style housing that labor
subcontracting companies provide to them. Living in forced
confinement and extreme isolation makes it difficult or impossible
for these women to seek help, escape situations of exploitation and
abuse, and try to find legal redress. A recent IOM study in
Cambodia showed that female domestic workers are at high risk of
being raped by male members of the household. Up to 18 per cent of
former domestic workers interviewed had experienced attempted
raped, and 10 per cent had actually been raped.

Mr. Chairman,

To readdress this situation in a consistent manner it is
essential that policies related to international migration become
gender sensitive so as to support the empowerment of female
migrants and not place them in vulnerable situation. IOM, often in
cooperation with UN organizations such as UNFPA, has paid
considerable attention to the mainstreaming of the needs, and
rights of female migrants into migration management policies,
contributing to the formulation of recommendations for action and
capacity development initiatives to eradicate all forms of violence
against female migrants, including sexual and gender based
violence.

In that regard it is crucial to take further action to reduce
vulnerabilities by :

• Informing migrant women workers of their rights in the
  receiving countries in terms of human rights, labour and
  welfare;
• Encouraging registration of workers with consular authorities
  and create a database of migrant workers to monitor their situation
  and train and appoint labour attachés in consulates in the
  receiving country to provide advice and assistance to migrant women
  workers;
• Promoting the adoption of human rights-based regulations for
  the employment of migrant workers and women in particular;
• Ensuring that migrant workers have access to the same level of
  protection and safety at work as national workers;
• Encouragimg the recognition of qualifications and skills
  between sending and receiving countries to ensure that migrant
  women workers have access to appropriate job opportunities and
  avoid underemployment;
• Advocating for domestic workers' rights and monitor the
  situation of women migrant workers in collaboration with state
  authorities and recruitment agencies;
• Raising awareness to prevent abusive practices among employers
  such as withholding passports, withholding wages and prosecute
  abusive employers;
• Strengthening assistance networks in the receiving countries
  and inform women migrants about assistance services and
  facilities;

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, breaking the cycle of violence
against women, including women migrants requires broad and active
commitment of state and non-state actors, including men and boys,
as well as a change in thinking among families, communities and
societies: much remains to be done for all of us.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.