UN Instraw, Annual Report 2007-2008, (2009)

Every day men and women from diverse age groups and from different economic, social and ethnic backgrounds cross borders in search of better job opportunities and improved living conditions for themselves and for their families. Of the estimated 200 million people currently living outside of their countries of origin, 50 percent are women. However, while the number of women migrants has increased in the last few decades, the “feminization” of labour migration more accurately refers to an increase in the number of women migrating independently in search of work, as opposed to women travelling as “dependent” family members. A large percentage of women have also now become the main economic providers of their families and de facto heads of households.