This paper begins with an overview of recent economic indicators for the Asia Pacific region, drawing attention to the employment effects of the sharp drop in exports of manufactured goods and garments to key markets in the European Union and the US. The employment implications for migrant workers, in particular for women migrant workers, are illustrated by the case of Malaysia, with brief commentary on the situation in Cambodia and Thailand. The paper then turns to the legal framework for migrant workers’ rights, including in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which recently issued a General Recommendation on Migrant Women. The paper concludes with some suggestions for governments.
URL : 20160404065328.pdf