Making women migrant workers count: Sex disaggregation of labour migration statistics in ASEAN (2019 data)

The International Labour Migration Statistics (ILMS) Database in ASEAN has been published annually since December 2014. In validating, annotating and gathering information from relevant surveys and administrative records produced in ASEAN, ILMS Database in ASEAN fills an important knowledge gap for national and regional policy-makers and for the broader research community. In 2019 ILMS was updated to ensure data disaggregations by sex for all data categories. This allows for a concerted focus on data on women migrant workers throughout ASEAN. The collection and use of data on women migrant workers in ASEAN ensures that women are counted and seen. Only with accurate data, can governments form evidence-based, gender-responsive policies and tripartite-plus partners ensure essential service provision is proportionate to women’s numbers in labour migration.