Abstract

Each year about 350 000 Indonesian women go abroad to work. These are the official statistics, but the actual figure is probably much higher. Increasingly, they are headed for the rich oil-producing countries of the Middle East, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Emirates have a history of gender segregation and tribalism that now coexists with modernism and consumerism. Women working in the UAE reportedly experience such infringements of their rights as excessive hours, unremunerated overtime, violence, debt entrapment and unenforceable contracts. They have difficulty accessing any system of protection or redress. This project will allow researchers to assess all aspects of their legal circumstances (including the laws and judicial systems of both countries), the remedial mechanisms at their disposal, and the role that various entities can play in enhancing their access to decent employment.

Recipient Institution(s)