Currently, the share of women in the world’s international migrant population is almost half. Women migration is in line with gender-specific labour demand in the countries of destination. With laws regarding admission of migrant workers being generally gender neutral, the demand for domestic workers, nurses and entertainers entailed migration of women. Thus, female labour supply is the culmination of gender norms and stereotypes that entice women to certain traditionally female occupations. Having learnt about the demand-supply of women migration, the factors that encourage it are also important. The recruitment intermediaries, whether private or public, also contribute to reinforce gender segregation in the labour market. Besides, expectations about reciprocity within the family in countries of origin may favour the migration of women if daughters are seen as more likely to remit consistently and to undertake the responsibility of helping the family left behind. Migration also leads to empowerment of women, with migration levels among women being higher when female earning potential is highly valued in the country of origin and women have access to local employment and income-generating opportunities. Finally, for both women and men, the economic and political condition of the country of origin shapes the decisions and occurrence of migration. Despite the increasing volume of females moving out as migrants, there has been a serious lacuna of gender analysis in the economic literature on international migration and development. This volume makes a valuable contribution in this context by explaining the nexus among gender, international migration and economic development.
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