Socioeconomic Stability for Georgian Labor Migrant Women. 2023

Carried out by “Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF) – Georgia”, with support from UNDP, Sweden, and the European Union, this comprehensive research sheds light on the challenges encountered by labour migrant women upon their return to Georgia.

It serves as a vital resource for the Georgian Government, civil society, and the private sector, aiming to address the pressing social and economic needs of labour migrant women and dismantle barriers hindering their return and successful reintegration.

The research findings stem from 22 comprehensive interviews with labour migrant women, coupled with thorough analyses of Georgia’s legislation, policies, and state programmes.

Highlights

• Despite Georgia's recent progress in developing migration systems, the feminization of migration is often overlooked. 
• The experiences of labour migrant women illustrate that significant gaps and lack of gender perspectives in legislation, policy, and state programmes hinder their return and sustainable reintegration.
• Labour migrant women often have limited opportunities to accumulate financial capital and pertinent experiences. 
• Access to necessary information during migration is constrained due to families' high reliance on remittances and the absence of relevant education and information for successful reintegration upon return.
• Historical structural barriers and socioeconomic backgrounds in Georgia obstruct women migrants' equal participation in various facets of life, including economic, social, cultural, and political activities. 
• These barriers include high unemployment levels, loss of qualifications, limited access to care infrastructure, and inadequate basic social protection services, such as low pensions and expensive healthcare. 
• Additional obstacles encompass the lack of unemployment assistance, housing challenges, and excessive interest rates on loans from commercial institutions.

Recommendations

• Supporting dignified return of labour migrant women through targeted programmes and policies. 
• Minimizing the social cost of feminized migration and optimising the potential contributions of migrant women in national development. 
• Integrating gender perspectives systematically into Georgia's legislation, policies, and programmes.