Gender, migration, remittances & develoment

Migration has in recent years become increasingly feminized, as now nearly half of all migrants are women, although the percentage is much higher in some countries. The increase in women migrants is partially a response to the high demand for laborers in traditionally feminine areas of the service industry, such as domestic work. These women are often the heads of their own household due to the increased number of independent women and the large number of single mothers, making them much different than the women who migrated previously as the dependent of a migrating man. UNISTRAW has initiated numerous studies around the world, and completed one in Dominican Republic, the results of which are included in this document, to the gender dimensions of remittances in hopes of gaining information which can be used to maximize the developmental benefits of remittances.