Paperwork: Map of lives of women migrants in Asia and Latin America
This session brought together women migrants and victims of trafficking from two regions, Asia and Latin America. A feminist approach to rights underscored their belief in the plurality of the category of migrant or trafficked women. By using this approach, the event considered their different identities, motivating factors, and varying experiences.
Documentation is an onerous and long-drawn process that led to debts and obligations, and the women discussed how a lack of documentation had deterred them from seeking assistance from the state. They explored how socioeconomic status, gender, and marital status affected women’s access to documentation as marriage migrants, working women or trafficked women. The citizenship of migrants or trafficked women additionally influenced their access to work, sense of belonging, and security, as well as how their presence was perceived by locals. The panellists shared about the forms of emotional and psychological support that women provide each other to break the isolation in the destination country.
Together, the four panellists shed light on the variations in migration practices and social and cultural determinants of inclusion and exclusion that go beyond the written letter of immigration policies and international conventions.
Download the summary from the discussion:
Speakers
Francia Balderama is a director of the National Domestic Workers’ Union. She has been a migrant caretaker, and now works with factory workers in Taiwan. She is also representing Serve the People Association.
Rossana Tapiru is a member of SAMAKANA, a new organisation composed of Filipina women marriage migrants in Japan. She is also representing Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants.
Yexica Marcanon is a journalist and Venezuelan migrant who has been living in Medellín, Colombia for six years. She is the co-founder of the Venezuelan Volunteer Corporation (CORPVOLVEN) as well as an entrepreneur and creator of Yexi’s Cakes, a family business dedicated to artistic baking.
Jandreliz Desire Zambrano Franco is Venezuelan advisor to the Brazilian Association for the Defense of Women, Children and Adolescents (ASBRAD).
Srishty Anand (facilitator) is a programme officer at the Global Alliance against Traffic in Women (GAATW).
