The paper Migrant Women’s Health and Safety: Why Do Ethiopian Women Choose Irregular Migration to the Middle East for Domestic Work? explores the factors that drive Ethiopian women to engage in irregular migration for domestic employment in the Middle East. Conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Population Council, with support from the Freedom Fund, the research involved semi-structured interviews with 66 participants, including policy stakeholders, recruitment agencies, and returnee migrants. The study aimed to gain insights into the decision-making process surrounding migration, particularly why women choose irregular pathways despite the existence of formal migration options.
The findings highlight three main factors: irregular migration was perceived as faster and more straightforward due to fewer bureaucratic hurdles, there was a belief that the risks associated with regular and irregular migration were comparable, and participants struggled to differentiate between legal and illegal routes because of the overlap in operations between registered and unregistered recruiters. The study concludes that existing policies designed to curb irregular migration may not effectively address the genuine concerns of migrants. It recommends streamlining regular migration processes and enhancing the oversight of recruitment agencies to better safeguard migrant women.
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