By Maxine Frith, Social Affairs Correspondent
Published: 07 September 2006
Women migrants who travel to Britain and other developed countries are
put at risk of exploitation and abuse because governments "overlook and
ignore" them, the United Nations says, and there is a "dire need" for
stronger co-operation between rich and poor countries to ensure
migration around the world is better managed.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) revealed in a report that women now make
up half of the world's 191 million international migrants, compared
with less than 45 per cent in 1960.
They contribute billions to the economies of the countries they travel
to in terms of taxes and consumption, and are also more likely than
male migrants to send remittances to help their families in their
countries of origin.
But the report warned that governments in the West were not doing
enough to protect women from forced migration in the forms of sex
trafficking, enforced marriages and employment abuses. It also attacked
countries such as the UK for stripping Aids-ravaged countries such as
South Africa of key female workers such as nurses to plug their own
staffing gaps.
When female migrants arrive in Western countries, they often miss out
on health care because they are not aware of their rights and remain at
risk of exploitation from employers.
Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the UNFPA, said: "There is a
dire need for greater action to address the lack of opportunities and
human rights violations that lead many women to migrate in the first
place.
"There is an urgent need for stronger co-operation between countries to
make migration more safe and fair. We call on governments to recognise
and value the contributions of migrant women and to promote and respect
their human rights."
She pointed to a new law in Sweden that prosecuted men who were caught
with sex workers rather than the women as an example of how the
problems of sex trafficking could be tackled.
Ms Obaid said that women often suffered double discrimination from
being both female and migrants. She added that rather than the
imposition of quotas, such as those being discussed for new EU entrants
such as Bulgaria, Britain should work with poorer countries to build up
their own education and health systems so that people were not forced
to travel abroad to escape grinding poverty.
But she also upheld the rights of people to travel abroad in search of
a better life. "Migration for economic well-being is a human right,"
she said. "These people contribute a lot to economies... Countries
should discuss together how to manage migration. If it is done well,
then it is a win-win situation for both the sending and the receiving
countries."
Her view contrasted sharply with that expressed by the new director
general of the Confederation of British Industry, Richard Lambert, who
warned earlier this week that the wave of cheap labour from eastern
Europe could put social cohesion at risk.
The UN report also revealed that claims about "floods" of migrants were
exaggerated. Since 1960, the proportion of migrants has remained
stable, accounting for 2.9 per cent of the global population. The US
takes the highest proportion of the world's international migrants, 20
per cent, compared with just 2 per cent in the UK. Refugees and
asylum-seekers represent just 3 per cent of all international migrants
in Europe.
Women migrants who travel to Britain and other developed countries are
put at risk of exploitation and abuse because governments "overlook and
ignore" them, the United Nations says, and there is a "dire need" for
stronger co-operation between rich and poor countries to ensure
migration around the world is better managed.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) revealed in a report that women now make
up half of the world's 191 million international migrants, compared
with less than 45 per cent in 1960.
They contribute billions to the economies of the countries they travel
to in terms of taxes and consumption, and are also more likely than
male migrants to send remittances to help their families in their
countries of origin.
But the report warned that governments in the West were not doing
enough to protect women from forced migration in the forms of sex
trafficking, enforced marriages and employment abuses. It also attacked
countries such as the UK for stripping Aids-ravaged countries such as
South Africa of key female workers such as nurses to plug their own
staffing gaps.
When female migrants arrive in Western countries, they often miss out
on health care because they are not aware of their rights and remain at
risk of exploitation from employers.
Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the UNFPA, said: "There is a
dire need for greater action to address the lack of opportunities and
human rights violations that lead many women to migrate in the first
place.
"There is an urgent need for stronger co-operation between countries to
make migration more safe and fair. We call on governments to recognise
and value the contributions of migrant women and to promote and respect
their human rights."
She pointed to a new law in Sweden that prosecuted men who were caught
with sex workers rather than the women as an example of how the
problems of sex trafficking could be tackled.
Ms Obaid said that women often suffered double discrimination from
being both female and migrants. She added that rather than the
imposition of quotas, such as those being discussed for new EU entrants
such as Bulgaria, Britain should work with poorer countries to build up
their own education and health systems so that people were not forced
to travel abroad to escape grinding poverty.
But she also upheld the rights of people to travel abroad in search of
a better life. "Migration for economic well-being is a human right,"
she said. "These people contribute a lot to economies... Countries
should discuss together how to manage migration. If it is done well,
then it is a win-win situation for both the sending and the receiving
countries."
Her view contrasted sharply with that expressed by the new director
general of the Confederation of British Industry, Richard Lambert, who
warned earlier this week that the wave of cheap labour from eastern
Europe could put social cohesion at risk.
The UN report also revealed that claims about "floods" of migrants were
exaggerated. Since 1960, the proportion of migrants has remained
stable, accounting for 2.9 per cent of the global population. The US
takes the highest proportion of the world's international migrants, 20
per cent, compared with just 2 per cent in the UK. Refugees and
asylum-seekers represent just 3 per cent of all international migrants
in Europe.
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