Out of Focus: Migrant Women Caregivers as Seen by the ILO and the OECD

This chapter asks why the International Labour Organization and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development have failed to address the needs of migrant women care workers in a comprehensive fashion. Mahon and Michel argue that, through the ways these two international organizations have understood and framed issues pertaining to the needs of women workers and their families, to care work and to migration, they have created a situation of “siloization” which prevents them from formulating policies to address these issues in a holistic, transnational manner. Further, the chapter points out that to a great extent, both organizations tend to view migrant women care workers from the perspective of the care needs of women from wealthier countries, thereby ignoring those of the care workers themselves, most of whom come from emerging economies, and their families, especially members left behind.