Abstract

Female labour migration has been recognized as the second largest foreign exchange source of earning where women who are mostly unskilled, low educated or non-educated are part of it. Sri Lanka, being part of labour outsourcing, has introduced the National Labour Migration Policy to protect the migrant workers and their families. Though the policy is largely gender-neutral, it addresses specific issues related to women migrant workers who are in the domestic workers' category. Despite the policy being implemented, there is a need to understand why women are still in a vulnerable situation. Thus this study intends to explore the ways in which the National Labour Migration Policy in Sri Lanka ensures the protection of women labour migrants. Qualitative research design and case study strategy were employed in this study. Relevant data and evidence were gathered through interviews with bureaucrats from Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, returnee migrant women, families of returnee migrant women, local manpower agencies and sub-agents, who are engaged in this migration process. The study argues that women are not protected when there is a negative attitude of street-level bureaucrats towards the target group. This largely ignores the rights of women labour migrants. Moreover, policy action taken irrespectively to the needs and the condition of the women in the society hence policy may not successfully achieve its goals.

Keywords: implementation, migration, policy, street level bureaucrats, women labour