328 Gendered harm and temporary labour migration in the Asia Pacific

Abstract OP 16: Exclusion and Discrimmination 2, B207 (FCSH), September 4, 2025, 13:30 - 14:30 Aim This presentation aims to examine how women involved in temporary forms of labour migration experience gendered harm in the Asia Pacific. Temporary labour migration in the Asia Pacific creates conditions of considerable precarity for women, who are exposed to a range of gendered insecurities that leave them susceptible to harm, violence and ill-health. Efforts to enhance women’s participation in labour migration are seen by some as a mechanism to promote gender equality and sustainable development. In light of these efforts, there is a critical need to build knowledge of how women involved in labour migration may experience gendered harm as they or their partners move across international borders. Methods We conducted a comprehensive scoping review of academic and grey literature published between 2014-2024 and used an expansive definition of gendered harm inclusive of interpersonal and structural forms of harm and violence. The review identified 43 relevant studies for inclusion. Results Studies focused on migrant domestic labour in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand though some research explored women’s experiences of sex work, factory work and agricultural labour. The review identified a broad spectrum of gendered violence was perpetrated against women engaged in temporary labour migration. Women experienced multiple and overlapping types of violence resulting in significant physical, mental, and sexual and reproductive health issues. Harm was perpetrated by multiple actors including employers, health professionals, migration and employment agents, intimate partners, and the state. Conclusion Findings implicate migration, health and social systems within patterns of harm and emphasise the importance of developing transnational protection mechanisms to prevent gendered violence against women in the context of precarious labour migration.