Beyond Paradise: Lives of Burmese Migrant Women

Written by Dr. Tabinda Sarosh | Programme Manager, ARROW
Photos by Arpita Das and Samreen Shahbaz | Programme Officers, ARROW

Chiang Mai is a beautiful city. Located in an enchanting hilly terrain, it entices one with the various visual treats it offers you. Animals, flora, fauna and the lingering fragrance in the air reminds one of the childhood stories of paradise where the proverbial fruit hangs low and the nature weaves a beautiful canvass for the senses. It’s a pleasure to walk into its streets, decorated with quaint little clay dolls, neatly arranged on the sidewalks, beautiful ceramic pottery and the ever-amazing Thai food.

Located on the Thai border with Burma, Chiang Mai is also the second largest metropolitan city of Thailand. It has the third largest migrant labor rate in the country. Most migrants are from Burma and are engaged in agriculture or construction work providing the much-needed labor to support the booming economy and growth of the city.

However, all is not well in paradise. Migrant workers from Burma who flee conflict and atrocious economic and political turmoil are employed to fulfill the ever-growing needs of the city. Workers cope with insufficient wages, poor access to education and health, dismal living conditions and severe restrictions on mobility.

During a recent visit to one of ARROW’s partners, the Migratory Assistance Program Foundation (MAP Foundation), we had the opportunity to closely understand the issues of the migrant workers and the work of the foundation. MAP Foundation has been working since 1996 to improve the working and living conditions and quality of life of the migrant workers from Burma. Besides giving services such as legal and labor rights advice they also run a drop-in center for HIV counseling and domestic violence, a women leadership program and two radio stations that broadcast on labor’s issues in their local vicinities with migrant populations.

12109867_1170085326340272_4464826838400425830_o

ARROW’s visit consisted of meeting the MAP team, learning about the various departments and areas of work, visits to the MAP radio station, drop-in centres and meeting and interacting with the migrant communities in the rural Pong Yeng and as well as in the urban sites in Chiang Mai.

When one witnesses up-close and personal the phenomenon which is migration, there is an onslaught of many different thoughts and ideas. How does it even feel to be a migrant in a country that either does not want you there or has its own set of conditions to grant you a stay in their territory? The Burmese migrants have been driven out of their homes due to conflict, state oppression and destitution and one is driven to brainstorm about how women are faring in a foreign land where they have restricted rights and opportunities to access those rights: they literally have nowhere to turn to. For an example, in cases of domestic violence by a close family member who is deemed otherwise a part of the only support system that a woman has in a foreign land, what is she to do? What are the options available to her, especially if she does not own a migrant identity card? So she might have no choice at all or have a tough choice but not the courage to exercise it and bear the social consequences.

Migration is a global issue that has recently gained more visibility and attention due to conflict prevailing in the Middle East. Numerous people have fled their homes, abandoning their lives, property and loved ones to seek shelter from a bloody war. Sadly, not many migrant populations have gained the same sort of attention from the world. As always it seems that issues of migrant women are often neglected, especially those related to their bodily rights.

MAP Photo_3

For ARROW’s team that works with an intersectional approach, it was an opportunity to further strengthen their ties with the women on ground and the organizations who work for them, reinvigorating the spirit of activism. As an organization committed to women’s rights and championing sexual and reproductive rights, we hope to continue our work with migrant women and provide support to help them to exercise full control over their body and health.

For more information about ARROW’s work on migration and SRHR, go to https://arrow.org.my/work/migration/

Vietnam

  • Centre for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP)

Sri Lanka

  • Bakamoono;
  • Women and Media Collective (WMC),
  • Youth Advocacy Network – Sri Lanka (YANSL)

Singapore

  • End Female Genital Cutting Singapore
  • Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)

Philippines

  • Democratic Socalist Women of the Philippines (DSWP);
  • Galang;
  • Healthcare Without Harm;
  • Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities;
  • Likhaan Centre for Women’s Health;
  • Nisa UI Haqq Fi Bangsamoro;
  • PATH Foundation Inc. (PFPI);
  • Women’s Global Network for
    Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)

Pakistan

  • Aahung, Centre for Social Policy Development (CSPD);
  • Forum for Dignity Initiative (FDI);
  • Gravity Development Organization; Green Circle Organization;
  • Indus Resources Center (IRC);
  • Idara-e-Taleem-O-Aaghai (ITA);
  • Rehnuma – Family Planning Association Pakistan;
  • Shelter
    Participatory Organisation;
  • Shirkat Gah;
  • The Enlight Lab

Nepal

  • Beyond Beijing Committee (BBC);
  • Blind Youth Association of Nepal;
  • Blue Diamond Society (BDS);
  • Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA);
  • Visible Impact;
  • Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC);
  • YPEER Nepal;
  • YUWA

Myanmar

  • Colourful Girls Organization;
  • Green Lotus Myanmar

Maldives

  • Hope for Women;
  • Society for Health Education (SHE)

Malaysia

  • Federation of Reproductive Health Associations of Malaysia (FRHAM);
  • Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG);
  • Justice for Sisters (JFS);
  • Reproductive Health Association of
    Kelantan (ReHAK);
  • Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia (RRAAM);
  • Sisters in Islam (SIS)

Lao PDR

  • Lao Women’s Union;
  • The Faculty of Postgraduate Studies at the University of Health
    Sciences (UHS)

Indonesia

  • Aliansi Satu Visi (ASV);
  • CEDAW Working Group;
  • Hollaback! Jakarta;
  • Institut Kapal Perempuan;
  • Kalyanamitra;
  • Komnas Perempuan;
  • Remaja Independen Papua/Independent Youth
    Forum Papua (FRIP/IYFP);
  • Perkumpulan Keluarga Berencana Indonesia (PKBI);
  • Perkumpulan Lintas Feminis Jakarta;
  • Perkumpulan Pamflet Generasi;
  • RUTGERS Indonesia;
  • Sanggar SWARA;
  • Women on Web;
  • Yayasan Kesehatan Perempuan (YKP); 
  • YIFOS Indonesia

India

  • CommonHealth;
  • Love Matters India;
  • Pravah;
  • Rural Women’s Social Education Centre (RUWSEC);
  • SAHAYOG;
  • Sahaj;
  • Sahiyo;
  • SAMA – Resource Group for Women and Health;
  • WeSpeakOut;
  • The YP Foundation (TYPF)

Morocco

  • Association Marocaine de Planification Familiale (AMPF),
  • Morocco Family Planning Association
Beyond Paradise: Lives of Burmese Migrant Women
Written by Dr. Tabinda Sarosh | Programme Manager, ARROW
Photos by Arpita Das and Samreen Shahbaz | Programme Officers, ARROW

Chiang Mai is a beautiful city. Located in an enchanting hilly terrain, it entices one with the various visual treats it offers you. Animals, flora, fauna and the lingering fragrance in the air reminds one of the childhood stories of paradise where the proverbial fruit hangs low and the nature weaves a beautiful canvass for the senses. It’s a pleasure to walk into its streets, decorated with quaint little clay dolls, neatly arranged on the sidewalks, beautiful ceramic pottery and the ever-amazing Thai food.

Located on the Thai border with Burma, Chiang Mai is also the second largest metropolitan city of Thailand. It has the third largest migrant labor rate in the country. Most migrants are from Burma and are engaged in agriculture or construction work providing the much-needed labor to support the booming economy and growth of the city.

However, all is not well in paradise. Migrant workers from Burma who flee conflict and atrocious economic and political turmoil are employed to fulfill the ever-growing needs of the city. Workers cope with insufficient wages, poor access to education and health, dismal living conditions and severe restrictions on mobility.

During a recent visit to one of ARROW’s partners, the Migratory Assistance Program Foundation (MAP Foundation), we had the opportunity to closely understand the issues of the migrant workers and the work of the foundation. MAP Foundation has been working since 1996 to improve the working and living conditions and quality of life of the migrant workers from Burma. Besides giving services such as legal and labor rights advice they also run a drop-in center for HIV counseling and domestic violence, a women leadership program and two radio stations that broadcast on labor’s issues in their local vicinities with migrant populations.

12109867_1170085326340272_4464826838400425830_o

ARROW’s visit consisted of meeting the MAP team, learning about the various departments and areas of work, visits to the MAP radio station, drop-in centres and meeting and interacting with the migrant communities in the rural Pong Yeng and as well as in the urban sites in Chiang Mai.

When one witnesses up-close and personal the phenomenon which is migration, there is an onslaught of many different thoughts and ideas. How does it even feel to be a migrant in a country that either does not want you there or has its own set of conditions to grant you a stay in their territory? The Burmese migrants have been driven out of their homes due to conflict, state oppression and destitution and one is driven to brainstorm about how women are faring in a foreign land where they have restricted rights and opportunities to access those rights: they literally have nowhere to turn to. For an example, in cases of domestic violence by a close family member who is deemed otherwise a part of the only support system that a woman has in a foreign land, what is she to do? What are the options available to her, especially if she does not own a migrant identity card? So she might have no choice at all or have a tough choice but not the courage to exercise it and bear the social consequences.

Migration is a global issue that has recently gained more visibility and attention due to conflict prevailing in the Middle East. Numerous people have fled their homes, abandoning their lives, property and loved ones to seek shelter from a bloody war. Sadly, not many migrant populations have gained the same sort of attention from the world. As always it seems that issues of migrant women are often neglected, especially those related to their bodily rights.

MAP Photo_3

For ARROW’s team that works with an intersectional approach, it was an opportunity to further strengthen their ties with the women on ground and the organizations who work for them, reinvigorating the spirit of activism. As an organization committed to women’s rights and championing sexual and reproductive rights, we hope to continue our work with migrant women and provide support to help them to exercise full control over their body and health.

For more information about ARROW’s work on migration and SRHR, go to https://arrow.org.my/work/migration/

Maldives

  • Hope for Women
  • Society for Health Education (SHE)

Mongolia

  • MONFEMNET National Network