Women & Migration

Kerala is famous for its population migrating to different parts of India and other countries for job purposes. A good percentage of Kerala women migrating from Kerala to other states in India and to countries outside have now become so extensive that its impact is felt in every aspect of life in the State. In the sense that it had brought certain changes in the traditional family structures such that these women experience more autonomy in social and financial spheres.

Research studies showed that the women in Kerala migrating for work in other parts of India and abroad in increasing in a fast pace. WHO Bulletin (2004) says, 'Opportunity is the driving force of migration. A better salary and better work conditions are the two main reasons cited for the rapid increase in female migration.

A study conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, states that the number of emigrants from Kerala to the Gulf countries went up by 35 per cent in the past five years. Remittances by Keralites in the Gulf states also went up by 35 per cent during the same period. The study also brought to light the spurt in female migration. It pointed out that woman accounted for 16.85 per cent of the emigrants in 2004 as against nine per cent in 1999.

According to the South Asian Migration Survey (SMS), 2004 there were 15.29 lakh male emigrants and 3.09 lakh female emigrants. Thus females constituted 16.8 percent of the total migrants in the year 2004. Whereas, in the year 1999, it was only 9.3 percent of the total migrant constituting 12.35 lakh male emigrants and 1.27 female emigrants (Kerala Migration Survey (KMS)) Thus during 1999-2004 there has been a substantial increase in female emigrants.

Reports showed that the larger portion of female emigrants were from Christian community (32%) and that too in the nursing profession, whereas, from Muslim community it was 8 percent only. Migration was least among Muslim women, reflecting the adamant socio-cultural norms in this community which in turn sluggish such outdoor endeavors. Nevertheless, the role of religion cannot be ruled out altogether because Christian missionaries and mission hospitals played a major role in the development of nursing as a modern profession in Kerala (Abraham 1996:81; George,2005). Kottayam district had the maximum number of women migrants followed by Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta districts. The percent of unmarried female emigrants increased very considerably during the year 2004 to that of 7 percent in1999. Lack of security of employment and economic opportunities in Kerala could be the reason behind the swift augmentation of unmarried female migrants in Kerala. Nursing is largely chosen by unmarried women who migrate to other parts of India and abroad due to several positive aspects viz: monetary benefits, discouraging employment situation in Kerala and other fringe benefits. The trend suggests that in the coming years there could be further acceleration of unmarried women leaving Kerala to foreign countries and to other parts of India in search of job.

As quoted in Economic Review, 2006, Female emigrants are very much more educated than their male counter parts. As much as 45 percent of the female emigrants were degree holders compared with only 15 percent among the male emigrants. About 80 percent of female emigrants have a secondary level education or higher, while the corresponding percentage among male emigrants was only 45 percent. However, emigration has certainly helped women to procure employment, since the proportion of unemployed before emigration was very high which declined considerably at the destination point.

On the whole, conditions in Kerala and across the world favour increased female emigration.