Asian migrant women vulnerable to HIV in Arab states – UN study

MANILA, Philippines - Asian migrant women may get economic benefits from working in the Arab region, buh they are highly vulnerable to factors that lead to HIV infection, according to a study released by the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the Joint Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The study, titled 'HIV Vulnerabilities of Migrant Women: From Asia to the Arab States," revealed the social, economic, and health toll that migration imposes on emigrating women, particularly low-skilled ones who are lured by lucrative job opportunities overseas. Since the Arab states are the primary destination for many migrant workers in Asia, about 600 respondents from Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka were the focus of the research, while the host countries examined were Bahrain, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. "Although migration itself is not a risk factor to HIV infection, the conditions under which some workers migrate and their living conditions in the host countries make them highly vulnerable to HIV," JVR Prasada Rao, regional director of UNAIDS in Asia and the Pacific, said in a separate statement. HIV is a virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS – a condition in which a human’s immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening infections. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Key findings The study said that “limited preparedness" and “poor access to information and services" make migrant women vulnerable to HIV, adding that in some cases they do not receive sexual and reproductive health information at all. “Although HIV training is part of the mandatory predeparture migration programs in Sri Lanka and the Philippines, over 50 percent of the Sri Lankan respondents believed that HIV could be transmitted by mosquitoes, and over 25 percent did not know that condoms could provide protection from HIV," it said. It was also found out that illegal recruitment fees, insufficient wages, excessive workloads, and unpleasant working conditions push women migrant workers into sexual exploitation, making them vulnerable to HIV. "Most of migrant workers around the world are subject to exploitation and mistreatment, and that is a worldwide problem." said General Siham Harakeh, head of the Nationality, Passports,and Foreigners Bureau at the Directorate of General Security in Lebanon, a separate report. Moreover, domestic workers are reportedly not properly tested for HIV. "In many cases, HIV testing in both countries of origin and host countries breaches migrants’ rights – testing is undertaken without consent, counseling, confidentiality or support," he says. The study said that most of the time, employers or hiring agents were informed of the results even before the workers themselves, and if the workers had been tested and diagnosed with HIV in the host country, they would be subject to deportation. “[However] there is little or no assistance for returning HIV-positive migrants to reintegrate into their countries of origin," it said. It added that there is “minimal institutional or systematic effort" to ensure that these migrants have access to counseling and HIV-care services or to guide them towards alternative income-generation opportunities. "Mandatory deportation of migrants who are HIV-positive imposes substantial economic costs on the affected worker, owing primarily, to a loss of livelihood," said the study. The study also said that these workers who had test positive for HIV were more likely to become “disconnected" from their communities. “If they are found HIV positive, they risk deportation. Once returned to their home countries, they are unable to find work and face discrimination and social isolation," said Ajay Chhibber, UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, in a statement. “The impossibility of returning HIV-positive migrants to migrate again by regular channels…puts them at substantial risk of being trafficked," added the study. The Philippines in focus Attesting to the common assumption, the study said that most Filipino participants in the study decided to work overseas because they wanted to alleviate their families’ financial condition. All the Filipino workers were required to undergo the predeployment orientation seminar (PDOS) but only 71 percent of the participants in the research attended – of whom only 54 percent remembered that it included an HIV orientation. Moreover, it said the module on HIV and AIDS was “not uniformly or even regularly implemented" because the PDOS was viewed as just another requirement. “Many of the participants seem to have ignored much of it and, thus, their lack of clear recollection on the topics discussed," it added. Meanwhile, of the participants who were interviewed on site, only 62 percent had undergone a medical examination before departure. “The fact that 82 percent of those screened were unsure as to whether or not they were tested for HIV demonstrates that HIV testing is being conducted without pretest and post-test counseling," said the study. About 62 percent of the Filipino respondents onsite had an HIV test before departure, while those who went through other visa schemes, such as a sponsorship or visitor visa, did not go through HIV testing before departure but still underwent medical testing when they applied for a work permit in the host country. Among the Filipino migrants interviewed, 84 percent were aware that HIV is sexually transmitted and that using condoms can help to prevent its spread. However, 14 percent also had misconceptions as to how it is transmitted, with some thinking that HIV can be transmitted through kissing or mosquito bites. In addition, there were reported cases of unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortions, and STIs among the research participants and their peers. “The harshness of their working and living conditions force some domestic workers to flee from their employers and, in the process, they may become even more vulnerable to sexual abuse," it said. According to the study, eight women shared experiences of sexual abuse from their male employers, ranging from harassment to rape. Even the women who worked as waitresses in hotels also reportedly experienced sexual harassment perpetrated by their boyfriends or strangers. It added that it was somehow understandable that the embassies and consulates were unable to attend to and provide adequate support to all cases, given their limited personnel and resources. “They are unaware of HIV cases among OFWs, including those who are detained and deported, because the host countries do not inform them of such cases," said the study. And although there was very limited data showing the actual prevalence of HIV infection among Filipino domestic workers from Bahrain, Lebanon, and the UAE, the study said that its findings showed that “the vulnerability of these workers to HIV infection is real." “It must also be noted that compared to other countries in the Arab States, there are more known cases of OFWs deported from Dubai due to HIV. While the majority of these cases have been men, there have also been women who have been forced to return after being diagnosed HIV positive," it added. Classified as an HIV “low-prevalence" country by the study, the Philippines as of July 2008 had a cumulative total of 3,358 cases of HIV infections dating back to 1984 – of which 796 (24 percent) are AIDS cases, and of these 310 (39 percent) have died. Of the total number of cases, the Department of Health said in the study that OFWs make up 34 percent (1,142). “Such figures have to be looked at as a function of mandatory HIV testing for overseas employment, which is required by most host countries," it said, adding that as of December 2007, women domestic workers comprised 17 percent of HIV cases among OFWs. The Department of Labor and Employment said that some 1.376 million documented overseas Filipino workers (OFW) were deployed and remitted back to the Philippine economy some US$ 16.4 billion from more than 190 host destinations in 2008. Recommendations and good practices The study, however, said that host countries and countries of origin had an equal responsibility to provide protective polices and programs. “The study shows that the degree of vulnerability among migrants also depends on the involvement and policies of the countries of origin," it said. It added that women from countries with protective policies and programs were better equipped to deal with the challenges in host countries. “Bilateral agreements on migrant welfare between countries of origin and host countries are especially important for the protection and wellbeing of woman migrants," said the study. Moreover, it said that migrants who had a medical condition that did not impair their ability to work, should not be denied to work, adding that the health insurance schemes for migrant workers should cover all aspects of health, including HIV infections. It also urged that hiring agents and employer blacklists be created, monitored, and shared. In addition, embassy and consular staff in host countries should be trained on the special needs and vulnerabilities of migrant women. Meanwhile, the study also outlines positive steps that are being taken in some host countries in the Arab states to ensure responsiveness to the needs of migrant women. In Lebanon, for example, all working migrants have health insurance. In the UAE, a new unified contract to regulate the rights and duties of domestic workers includes a medical aid provision. “The government of Bahrain, NGOs and, the UN are committed to starting a project to strengthen information and HIV/AIDS services for migrant women," added Sayed Aqa, UN resident coordinator in Bahrain, in a statement. The study also cited the Philippines for having enacted a legislation protecting the rights of Filipino migrant workers, as well as to making the inclusion of HIV orientation in the predeparture training mandatory. “It has also signed on to various international declarations, such as the 1990 UN Convention for the Protection of Migrant Workers and Members of their Families," Since 2004, all Philippine foreign service personnel have been required to undergo an HIV and AIDS seminar. - GMANews.TV