Picture: Launching Ceremony of the Alliance for Women Migrant Voices (AWMV) organised on 21 April 2022
Charter of the Alliance for Women Migrant Voices (AWMV)
Preamble
Women are increasingly migrating independently or as primary household earners to improve their own or their families’ well-being, to earn income and send remittances home. Women’s migration and their earnings contribute to the development of themselves and their families and also contribute to women’s empowerment and advancement. To women in rural areas, the decision to seek work abroad, though seemingly daunting and perhaps dangerous, appears as a viable alternative to remaining in poverty, situations of violence, inequality and unemployment or underemployment.
Escaping poverty and earning higher income can often mean taking risks, and for women migrating for working abroad these risks are often worth taking. Unfortunately, many women migrant workers find themselves receiving poor wages, working excessive hours, and exposed to labour and human rights violations.
Women are among the most vulnerable to abuse and exploitation during migration. Women face unique challenges in realizing their rights to equality, non-discrimination and freedom from exploitation, abuse and trafficking. Labour migration play a critical role in women’s economic empowerment, and in sustainable development. With often limited economic opportunities at home, labour migration provides a pathway for women to access the world of work.
We have to hear from women migrant workers who, despite challenges, chose to migrate in the hopes of finding a better life for themselves and their families, and learn how we can work together to protect their legal rights, safety, security, human rights and dignity.
In 2021, it was estimated that 13 per cent of the total migrant workforce from Bangladesh were women. When migration is safe, regular and free of gender-based discrimination, it can be positive example for women’s migration pathway. Women choose to migrate to better provide financial support for their families and free themselves from restrictive gender norms.
As more and more women decide to migrate for work, it is critical that governments, employers, recruitment agencies, service providers and civil society work together to ensure that women migrant workers are protected and informed of their rights.
Justification
Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) is a global initiative of Global Affairs Canada to advance the empowerment of women and girls, promote gender equality and protect the human rights of women and girls in developing countries. In Bangladesh, Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) has been implementing this project through partnership with Women Rights Organizations (WROs) aiming to advance the leadership and empowerment of women and girls, promote gender equality, protect the human rights of women and girls.
Centre for Women and Children Studies (CWCS) as a partner of MJF has been dealing the issues of women migrant workers especially female returnee women migrant and identified key gender issues as follows:
- Entrenched patriarchy of Bangladeshi society constrains employment choices, stigmatizes women migrants, and serves to place women in precarious and exploitative situations throughout the migration process.
- Women suffer from various forms of mistreatment and abuse, not only in the process of migration but also on their arrival at the destination country. Many become victims of sexual harassment, physical abuse and are denied basic rights by their employers and co‐workers.
- While working abroad consular services and access to resources and information through labour attachés have been designed for the needs of men migrants in mind. There are no specific programs in place that are designed to meet the specific needs of women migrant workers, and resources are lacking such that they cannot ensure adequate support.
- Upon their return after a long stay in a different cultural context, the women returnee migrant worker often finds it difficult to reintegrate into the society which has gone through changes in her absence.
- Current policies relevant to migration governance in Bangladesh do not account for the underlying societal causes of gender inequity and inequality.
Given these challenges, it is understood that the life experiences of women migrant workers are different from the men migrant workers. Moreover, their voices are unheard. Henceforth, CWCS has made an effort to form an alliance of women rights organizations involving both national and grassroots organizations to reach the voices of women migrants at the policy level to address the above issues.
Women rights organizations and activists
Recognizing the need to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women migrant workers;
Desire to promote and establish women migrant workers’ rights and equal employment opportunities in partnership with women rights organizations;
Convinced to undertake campaigns and awareness events to promote gender equality and to uphold the rights of women migrant workers;
Believing that women migrant workers can play an effective role in bringing about improved working conditions which are enshrined in the international conventions that the government has committed to uphold.
Have agreed to form a national women’s network to be called Alliance for Women Migrant Voices (AWMV) with the following vision and objectives:
Vision
Women migrant workers will be able to get equal rights, opportunities at their workplaces and can voice their demands.
Objectives
- To strengthen networking among women rights organizations for taking proactive role for women’s safe migration
- To establish and ensure equal rights and opportunities for women migrant workers
- To address the issue of discrimination and violence in the workplace of women migrant workers
- To advocate for enactment/inclusion/amendment of laws and polices related to women migrants rights, opportunities, safety and securities.
- To increase knowledge and awareness among the women migrants to uphold and voice their rights and demands.
- To carry forward the women migrants’ voice to the policy makers at national level.
Membership
General members who have initiated in the creation of AWMV will be the Founding Members. General Membership are open to women organizations who are working for women migrant workers and their rights after verifying by the Secretariat. Advisory Members can be high level experiences civil society advocates of human rights of women migrants.
Meetings and Events
Information sharing meetings of the Alliance Members will be held half-yearly at the secretariat. However, if necessary, issue-based meetings will be organized. National level advocacy meeting with key stakeholders namely MoEWOE, BMET, TTC, DEMO, MRC and BAIRA will be organized by AWMV. Awareness events and workshops will be facilitated by Alliance members.
Secretariat
Secretariat will be hosted by the Centre for Women and Children Studies (CWCS). President of CWCS will be the ex-officio Chair of the Alliance for Women Migrant Voices (AWMV). Two other members will be Co-Chair of the AWMV. Secretary General will be elected or selected by the members of AWMV.
Financial arrangements
The promotional campaigns, advocacy meetings and activities of the Alliance will be sponsored by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) with the financial support of Global Affairs Canada.
Alliance for Women Migrants Voices (AWMV) Members
National Level Organizations
Organization:
Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’
Assosiation (BNWLA)
Name: Advocate Salma Ali
Executive Director
Address: House # 48/3,
Monico Mina Tower
West Agaragaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar
Dhaka – 1207.
Organization: Centre for Women and Children Studies (CWCS)
Name: Prof. Ishrat Shamim
President
Address: 92, New Eskaton Road
Dhaka – 1217.
Organization: Garments Sramik Unity League (GSUL)
Name: Kazi Rahima Akter Shathi
President
Address: 304 East Kazipara, Madrasa Road, Kaufrul, Mirpur, Dhaka – 1216.
Organization: Karmojibi Nari (KN)
Name: Sunzida Sultana
Executive Director (In-Charge)
Address: 3/6 Segunbagicha,
Dhaka – 1000.
Organization: Pragroshor
Name: Fawzia Khondker
Executive Director
Address: LV3, House – #40, Road – b/A
Dhanmodi, Dhaka – 1304.
Organization: Shobujer Ovijan Foundation (SOF)
Name: Mahmuda Begum
Executive Director
Address: House – 745,
Road – 5 Baitul Aman
Housing Society Adabor, Dhaka – 1207.
Organization: Women Entrepreneur Association (WEA)
Name: Dr. Rubina Husain
Managing Director
Address: Husain Plaza, 2nd Floor
House 1, Rood No 15 New
Dhanmondi, Mirpur Road,
Dhaka – 1209.
District Level Organizations
Organization:
Chandradip Development Society
Name: Jahanara Begum Shapna
Executive Director
Address: Munir Bagh, Nazir Moholla
Hospital Road, Barisal-8200.
Organization:
Children & Women Development Association (CWDA)
Name: Parvin Halim
Executive Director
Address: Eleven Care
Academy (3rd Floor)
Sheikh Russel Road, Lakshmipur Sadar,
Lakshmipur.
Organization: Community Health & Development Programme (CHDP)
Name: Maksuda Begum
Executive Director
Address: 573, Fider Road,
Ward No 7, Galachipa
Pourashava,
Galachipa Upazila, Patuakhali.
Organization: Family Ties
Name: Khojista Janaky
Executive Director
Address: Alamgir Hossain
City, Gaital, Sadar,
Kishoreganj.
Organization:
Jago Nari Sangstha
Name: Rasheda Akter
Chairman
Address: Vill. & Post: Chapapur
Adarsho Sadar Upazila, Cumilla.
Organization:
Kandivita Somo Unnayan Somity
Name: Mehnaj Parvin
Executive Director
Address: 355/2, Kandivita, Natore-6400
Organization:
Love Thy Neighbour (LTN)
Name: Mahamuda Begum
Executive Director
Address: Nazir Molla Road, Barisal.
Organization:
NEDA Society Mohila Sangtha
Name: Jahanara Beauty
Executive Director
Address: Vill. & Post: Dheapatiya
Natore Sadar Upazila, Natore.
Organization:
Nikushimaj Shamaj
Name: Salma Sultana
Executive Director
Address: 178, F-Block, Housing, Kushtia.
Organization:
Nari Unnayan Sangstha
Name: Mira Rani Das
Executive Director
For Communication: Pulin Bihari Das
Address: Village: Shuarol,
PO : Atomor (Sachar)
Upazila: Kachua,
District: Chandpur – 3633.
Organization:
People’s Development Foundation
(PDF)
Name: Julakha Islam
Executive Director
Address: 29/1 Adarsha School Road,
Pirojpur,
Post and District: Pirojpur.
Organization:
Rural Poor Development Organization
(RPDO)
Name: Rawshon Ara Lili
Executive Director
Address: Purba Adalat
Para, Green Road,
Tangail.
Organization:
Suchita Samaj Unnayan Sangstha
Name: Nasrin Parvin
Executive Director
Address: Gobinda (Nazim Uddin Road)
Sadar, Pabna
Organization:
Women Initiatives for Social Education
Name: Sabrina Akter
Executive Director
Address: Kazi Vila,
Shamserabad, Ward No-9,
Ramgati Road
Organization:
Mission Mohila Unnayan Sangstha
Name: Sakhina Pervin
Chairperson
Address:
Kaliganj, Satkhira – 9440
Organization:
Kheya (Somaj Unnayan Sangstha)
Name: Josna Ara
Director
Address: Magura, Benarpota, Satkhira
Organization:
Nari Unnayan Sangstha
Name: Gulshan Ara Khatun
Director
Address:
Viilage + Post: Shirasuni, Tala
Satkhira – 9420
Organization:
Chopira Mohila Sangstha
Name: Moriom Mannan
Executive Director
Address:
Viilage: Chopira, Satkhira Sadar
Satkhira