Western Colonization and Its Impact on Female Migrant Workers: The Study of Labor Management of Domestic Migrant Workers from Indonesia and the Philippines

Abstract

Indonesia and the Philippines are two countries of origin for labor migration. These countries share similar historical roots; however, female Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are often more successful than Indonesian female migrant workers (PMI). This research paper will explore and compare how the legacies of colonization affect migrant workers from Indonesia and the Philippines. I will explore cultural colonialism by the Spanish and the Americans in the Philippines in comparison with the Dutch in Indonesia. The majority of female migrant workers are employed in the service industry; thus, this paper will focus on female domestic workers. Furthermore, this paper will also explore the degree to which Dutch, Spanish, and American colonialism influenced gender relations in Indonesia and the Philippines. I will analyze how perceptions of women have continuing influences upon the social status and progress of female domestic workers. Lastly, this paper will compare how the legacies of colonization affect labor management for female domestic migrant workers by examining policies which focus on women’s empowerment and agency prior to leaving the sending country for their overseas placement. Another critical aspect of the research focuses on the efficacy of the workers’ legal protections both in the receiving and sending countries.