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MANILA, Philippines?While the estimated 191 million migrant workers worldwide contribute to the economic growth of host countries, they are still viewed as an "inconvenient necessity," an official of the United Nations' Development Fund for Women (Unifem) said Thursday.
At the International Conference on Gender, Migration, and Development, Dr. Jean D'Cunha, Unifem's regional program director for Southeast Asia, said this is because citizens of host countries feel threatened by the influx of migrant workers taking their jobs and state allocation for social and health benefits.
"Countries of origin and host countries both view migrant workers as source of development. But countries of destination view them as inconvenient necessity," she said in her speech.
D'Cunha said migrants are seen as a "polluting threat" to what is projected as "pristine" societies. She said migrants' assimilation is prevented to "avoid their competing with the entitlements" of host country's citizens.
"Many women migrant workers are perceived as sexually available?.but generally migrant workers are viewed as dangerous, polluting and menacing threats in countries of destinations," she said.
The United Nations official said this perception is brought by the cultural stereotype that women migrant workers are good only for either domestic work or as entertainers.
To counteract, D'Cunha suggested that sending states band together to negotiate for a better deal -- good working conditions and equal protection of rights -- of their migrant workers.
