Exporting Subservience: Sri Lankan Women's Migration for Domestic Work in Jordan

Abstract

Sri Lanka is one of the highest suppliers of female labour for domestic work to the Middle East. This study attempts to explore the migrants’ experiences both at their home and destination countries through a survey in the two countries, Sri Lanka and Jordan. In Sri Lank, a rural village with high female migrancy rates is selected as the study area. The compelling reasons for migration and whether or not their expectancies by migration were fulfilled are researched into. The author also delves into the migrants’ experiences in the host country, and relationships between the migrant and the employer. The kafa/a (sponsorship) system under which the migrants are required to work, is explored, and it emerged that under this system, the migrant is under bondage to her employer with regard to all aspects of her service. The data from this study is used to demonstrate the kafa/a system prevailing in these countries.