ABSTRACT
The feminization of labour migration underscores that since the 1970s, an increasing number of women cross borders with the aim to support themselves and their families. The push and pull factors of migration of women have their own gender-specific characteristics. This chapter explores gender lens that is used to consider the threshold approach to decision-making by labour migrants. Gender selectivity and segmentation of the labour markets are global phenomena and they increasingly impact on the migration of women who are in search of paid work across the border. Sociocultural norms and practices, which are often related to religion, create environments that encourage, facilitate or hinder the motivation to migrate. The chapter focuses on the links between gender, migration and laws and policies. Present-day laws and policies governing the admissibility of non-nationals in destination countries in Asia are intimately linked with labour market needs. Although labour migration in Asia is strictly regulated, irregular migration, including traffic in persons, is significant.
