ABSTRACT This study explored the mental distress experienced by migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Lebanon under the Kafala (sponsorship) system, adopting a dual lens that considers both workers' lived realities and the host society's social‐psychological processes. Drawing on intersectionality and social psychology, the analysis examines how intersecting forms of discrimination, rooted in race, gender, class and legal status, combine with crisis contexts, such as Lebanon's economic collapse and the Beirut port explosion, to deepen psychological harm. The study interrogated the cultural narratives, moral hierarchies and ingroup/outgroup dynamics that normalise or obscure these conditions, situating the Lebanese Kafala regime within broader regional labour migration systems. Findings reveal a cyclical dynamic in which legal precarity, racialised labour hierarchies and societal attitudes reinforce both structural abuse and social invisibility. While MDWs mobilise coping strategies including solidarity networks, digital mobilisation, religious practices and community‐based initiatives, these remain constrained by systemic exclusion from national services and persistent stigma. The study argued that meaningful reform requires dismantling both the legal architecture of Kafala and the social‐psychological mechanisms that sustain it, coupling structural change with culturally responsive psychosocial interventions and regional labour governance reforms.

Abstract Migrant domestic workers are frequently portrayed as vulnerable victims of globalization in both academic and popular media, a depiction that, while underscoring their challenges, risks presenting a one-dimensional view of their agency. This paper examines the lived experiences of Helen, a Filipina domestic worker in Hong Kong, to demonstrate how she actively employs her multilingual resources to navigate and reshape her roles throughout her transnational journey. Through linguistic ethnography based on interviews conducted in 2017 and participant observation, I explore the connections between Helen’s experiences as a migrant worker and her evolving linguistic repertoire. Using the method of ‘linguistic portrait interviewing’ developed by Busch (2012, 2015), Helen’s linguistic portrait reveals how her multilingual skills become assets for asserting agency and establishing her place across social contexts. Her metalinguistic narratives and reflections illustrate how she leverages her linguistic repertoire to enact, maintain, and negotiate multiple social and symbolic roles, highlighting both her resilience and adaptability. This analysis presents Helen’s linguistic repertoire as a dynamic tool for sustaining her transnational experiences, underscoring the nuanced ways migrant domestic workers navigate structural inequalities while drawing upon personal resources to shape their own paths.

ABSTRACT Domestic workers remain curiously absent from the story of Hong Kong, a story they helped to build. It is this context that informed the development of The Writer’s Toolbox, our collaboration with Migrant Writers of Hong Kong, a creative writing network founded by writers and domestic workers, Maria Nemy Lou Rocio, Ailenemae Ramos and Liezel Fernandez Marcos. This collaboration comprised three series of creative writing workshops from 2021 to 2024 that sought to develop creative writing pedagogies for migrant domestic workers. Our model was grounded in a focus on the lives and care of writers/storytellers and stories. Starting from an ethos of care for storytellers and stories allowed us to delve into the connections between craft and care, and critique as encounter and co-invention. This framework created space for stories that highlighted under-examined dimensions of labour migration. As migrant domestic worker creative writers gain visibility in literary and public arenas in Hong Kong, an attentiveness to care may allow for a greater re-visioning of the relationship between domestic workers and the city.

This study quantifies the impact of Saudi Arabia’s legal reforms aimed at reducing gender discrimination on female labour force participation and employment, using a synthetic control for comparison from 2017 to 2021. The reforms yielded a nearly nine percentage point increase in female labour force participation, with over one million Saudi women entering the labour force in just three years. A difference-in-differences analysis using the staggered establishment of driving schools across regions shows an employment increase for both Saudi and migrant women in regions where schools opened. An increase in demand for migrant domestic workers could be a result of Saudi women transitioning from home into the workforce.

ABSTRACT Household divisions of labour are shifting due to two emerging trends. First, dual-earner households increasingly accept migrant domestic workers (MDWs) to alleviate housework responsibilities. Second, households are increasingly formed through cross-border marriages that challenge single-culture norms of domestic labour division. While prior studies widely documented these trends, less is known about how couples’ resources and birthplace-linked cultures jointly relate to MDW hiring. Using 2021 Hong Kong census data, this study examined how partners’ comparative economic resources and their cultural backgrounds associated with their birthplaces correlate with households’ likelihood of employing MDWs in Hong Kong, one of the world’s largest MDW markets. The findings indicate that the likelihood of households to hire MDWs is more related to the birthplaces of wives than husbands. Couples where both partners are from Mainland China are less likely to outsource than Hong Kong-born couples. The results also suggested that absolute earnings of partners, rather than their relative economic status in their gender-birth cohorts, play a more significant role in the decision to hire MDWs. This research fills a critical knowledge gap on outsourcing behaviours in migrant and native-migrant households with different levels of husband-wife relative economic power, offering valuable insights for policymakers in multicultural contexts.

Liberation theologies seek to uplift the voices of the marginalised. However, as demonstrated by the case of Minjung theology, no single approach is capable of lifting up all voices. Thus, it is important to listen to new voices. Recent theological work from Southeast Asia lifts up important insights from under-represented groups in theology: migrant domestic workers, LGBTQ religious believers and Chinese sex workers. Contribution: These new voices show our own inability to properly hear and convey the perspectives of the ‘voiceless’ but emphasise the need to enter the chaos of others.

EP1.5, e-Poster Terminal 1, September 5, 2025, 13:05 - 13:40AimInternational labor migrants are often separated from their family and at-home support networks while working abroad, which may leave them vulnerable to social isolation and poor health. Studies have assessed how access to social support is helpful for international migrants’ well-being but there is currently a lack of research that investigates the structure of migrant social networks. This study aims to quantify and describe the social networks of Filipino and Indonesian migrant domestic workers (MDWs) working in Macao SAR, China.MethodsUsing respondent driven sampling, this study enrolled 1,683 MDWs (egos; Filipino n = 1330; Indonesian n = 353) from November 2016 to August 2017. Egos completed a survey about their background characteristics and an egocentric social network approach using name-generating questions of important role members in their life quantified network size (9,271 total alters: Filipino n = 7,974; Indonesian n = 1,297). Egos responded to questions related to alter relationship type, ego-alter interactions, and demographic information. Chi-square and ANOVA tests compared network differences.ResultsFilipino egos reported larger networks (mean = 6.0; SD = 3.7) compared with Indonesians (mean = 3.7; SD = 2.5). Filipino egos reported higher rates of feeling close or very close to alters (63.7% vs. 47.3%) and more often believed alters would provide financial support if needed (64.9% vs. 31.7%). Filipinos also reported greater reciprocity in listening to alters’ problems (85.9% vs. 46.6%).ConclusionsFilipino and Indonesian MDWs’ social networks were homogenous with essentially no interaction across nationalities or the local host community. Indonesian MDWs had smaller networks, weaker ties, and less perceived support, highlighting key population differences and challenging the notion that MDWs are a monolithic community.

EP1.4, e-Poster Terminal 1, September 4, 2025, 11:35 - 13:00Aims: This study explores the experiences of Filipino migrant domestic workers in Belgium, focusing on the intersection of bio-citizenship and the black economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines (1) how migrant workers adapted to sanitary measures imposed by the receiving state and (2) what strategies they employed to manage the repercussions of these measures. The study highlights the impact of informal labor, legal precarity, and healthcare inclusion on migrant well-being.Methods: Using semi-structured interviews conducted between October 2021 and August 2022, this study gathered insights from 27 Filipino migrant workers (7 males, 20 females), both documented and undocumented, working in domestic services. Snowball sampling facilitated trust-building within the Filipino community, particularly among undocumented workers. Thematic analysis was used to identify key patterns in migrant adaptability, economic survival strategies, and healthcare access within Belgium’s labor and social policies.Results: Findings reveal three key themes (1) Uncertainties: migrants faced job losses, reduced working hours, and precarity due to undocumented status during lockdowns. Many resorted to alternative income sources within Belgium’s black economy, lacking formal protections or access to social safety nets; (2) Solidarity: Filipino migrant networks provided crucial financial, social, and emotional support, particularly for undocumented workers excluded from government relief. Community-driven initiatives such as food aid and shared resources helped mitigate economic hardships; and (3) Inclusive Healthcare: Belgium’s healthcare system extended services to all individuals regardless of legal status, allowing migrant workers, including the undocumented, access to COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, and emergency care.Conclusion: This research underscores the complex interplay between migration, labor informality, and healthcare entitlements, illustrating how bio-citizenship and economic survival strategies intersect. The findings emphasize the need for inclusive labor and healthcare policies that acknowledge migrants’ vital contributions while ensuring equitable access to social protections, regardless of legal status.

Ancestors call me home: Cultural distance and settlement intention of domestic migrant workers in China

Abstract We argue that grassroots participation in multilateral negotiations over norm-setting is important because grassroots discourses differ from those of multilateral organizations. To compare the two, we use sociolinguistic theories that link embodied experience, ideology and discourse. We analyze texts about domestic work from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and a grassroots organization of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong, the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body (AMCB). Findings show that AMCB’s commitment to grassroots migrants, and the embodied experiences of its members and leaders, enables their discourses on “decent work for domestic workers” to be more intersectional, more substantive and more critical than the discourses of the ILO. This case illustrates that even when the overarching norms appear to be the ‘same’, the discourses of grassroots and multilateral organizations still offer fundamentally different images of what constitutes “decent work” and what is required to achieve it.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, international migrant workers were often at risk of increased hardships due to disrupted employment, insecure residency status, and stringent government pandemic policies. Migrant domestic workers (MDW) who are typically required to live in the home of their employer, away from social support networks, may face additional stressors and vulnerabilities. This study seeks to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on female MDWs in Hong Kong. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted from June 2021 to May 2022 with 20 female MDWs currently employed in Hong Kong. The study explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the MDWs: employment conditions, economic situation, family and social networks, and personal health. Thematic analysis, informed by the Employment Conditions and Health Inequalities Framework, was conducted on the interview data. Participants reported negative changes to employment conditions including new job duties, longer working hours, and not receiving statutory days off. Participants also felt that government COVID-19 policies unfairly targeted MDWs. Although MDWs often reported tolerating the negative work-related impacts of the pandemic to provide for left-behind family, MDWs would commonly seek other employment to cope with their employer-related difficulties. Additional stressors faced by MDWs during the COVID-19 pandemic were largely attributable to existing regulations and pandemic-related MDW policies that limited their autonomy. Improving the well-being of MDWs, particularly during public health crises, necessitates regulatory reforms that include MDW mental health as a priority area.

This essay discusses how migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in Hong Kong negotiate leisure within severe spatial, temporal, and social constraints. Drawing on observations of weekly gatherings in the city’s financial district, it introduces the lens of leisure constraint negotiation to highlight collective strategies of adaptation, creativity, and resilience. Through communal practices such as shared meals, conversation, and dance, MDWs transform limited public spaces into sites of rest, connection, and dignity. These negotiated forms of leisure expand theoretical understanding beyond free time or activity, reimagining leisure as a collaborative practice of endurance within structural inequality.

BackgroundGlobally, pre-and post-migration TB screening are integral to controlling TB among migrants. Annually, approximately 300,000 Ethiopians migrate to the Middle East in search of job opportunities. But prior to their trip the migrants are randomly distributed by Wafid to 12 authorized clinics in Addis Ababa, for pre-migration medical screening for communicable diseases including Tuberculosis (TB), which is one of the main concerns and screened using chest X-ray (CXR). Based on the screening results, the job seekers are classified as Fit or Unfit to travel to the Middle East. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of presumptive TB among Ethiopian Migrant Workers upon screening and identify the possible associated risk factors.MethodA retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using data between June,2023 and June, 2025 collected from three clinics utilizing Sefed Software Systems database. Ethiopian Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) are randomly placed for pre-migration screening to these health facilities by the Ministry of Labor and Skills. The prevalence of presumptive TB was estimated using STATA software version 14. Logistic regression model was applied to determine associations between X-ray TB diagnosis and with socio-demographic and clinical variables.ResultsAmong 233,941 individuals screened during the study period, 10, 342 (4.42%) were deemed Unfit to travel due to abnormal CXR findings. Significant associations were observed between TB-suspects based on X-rays and several variables. Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, religion (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.19–1.28); marital status (OR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84–0.93), age (OR = 3.35; 95% CI: 2.70–4.15), hepatitis B (OR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.48–1.97), syphilis (VDRL) (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.63–2.37) and pregnancy (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.34–1.81) showed statistically significant association with potential TB status with P < 0.05. HIV status showed marginal association (OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 0.91–2.14).ConclusionThis study revealed a relatively high prevalence of presumptive TB among Ethiopian (MDWs) seeking jobs in the Middle East. The X-ray results may not be confirmatory diagnosis for TB. Therefore, further investigation is required using other confirmatory methods such as Gene Xpert or TB culture. Linking medically unfit individuals to TB care is crucial to mitigate transmission risks based on the WHO recommendations.

Female migrant domestic workers (MDW), often unemployed in their home country, are household workers that migrate abroad for better wages. Although poor employment conditions have shown detrimental effects on MDWs health, the mental health effect of perceived discrimination remains understudied among MDWs. This mixed-methods study seeks to (a) assess the association between perceived discrimination and mental health among female MDWs and (b) explore in-depth the common ways MDWs experience discrimination. A cross-sectional self-administered survey (n = 1965) was conducted among Filipino and Indonesian MDWs from August 2020 to August 2021 in Hong Kong. A multivariable logistic regression model, controlling for background characteristics, assessed associations between perceived discrimination with anxiety and depression. Qualitative semistructured interviews were then conducted (n = 20) to provide in-depth information about perceived discrimination. Thematic analysis was used to identify the contexts and types of discrimination experienced. Among survey respondents, 60.4% reported ever experiencing discrimination, and 10.5% reported often/always feeling discriminated against. Of MDWs, 18.1% and 31.5% were classified with anxiety and depression, respectively. MDWs reporting higher frequency of discrimination were at increased risk of anxiety (ORadj: 2.30-6.60) and depression (ORadj: 2.06-5.91). In-depth interviews revealed that perceived discrimination inside the workplace (from overwork, lack of autonomy, and employer-imposed restrictions) and outside the workplace (from MDW policies) had strong effects on MDWs' mental health. Increased availability to mental health services should be considered. To improve MDW mental health, policymakers may also regulate maximum weekly working hours and ensure minimum standards for living environments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Biopower, governmentality and the making of health inequities of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.

A stranger/helper at home: A household survey dataset for studying families with migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.

Cancer as communication work: A qualitative study of Filipino migrant domestic workers with cancer in Hong Kong.

In studies on migrant domestic workers, notable themes of delayed returns and serial migration emphasize their mixed feelings toward home. This paper argues for a deeper investigation of the relationship between their emotions and homecoming through an interview-based study of 18 middle-aged Indonesian migrant domestic workers, who have returned to their home country and have remained there for over five years. This work focuses on how the experience of time and the meanings of space have shaped their desire for home. It provides insights into the self-formation of return migrants, closely related to the neoliberal emphasis on self-responsibility and their experience of age. In their homeward journeys, the home is a familiar yet uncertain space requiring effort and determination so that they can truly feel at home. Homecoming does not signify an end to their transnational network, which indeed contributes to their sense of home, making future departure unlikely.

Background: Loneliness and social isolation among older people are currently widespread and recognized as the foremost public health problems globally and locally. Hong Kong, which exhibits a rapid aging trend and an expanding elderly population, is inevitably facing these issues. This study explored the lived experiences of loneliness among older adults in Hong Kong. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted among older adults in the community aged 60 or above who were cared for by migrant domestic workers and presented varying levels of loneliness. Purposive sampling was used to select subjects for face-to-face, semi-structured individual interviews, with consent for audio recording, which led to the inclusion of 19 older adults, among whom five were male, nine lived with a spouse, and three lived with their children. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was adopted. Results: We identified a core theme, “Should I stay at home alone?”, and the following four interrelated themes: (1) experience of inadequate social support and networks, (2) altered family dynamics and support, (3) deterioration in physical functions and mobility limitations, and (4) experience of negative and complex emotions. Conclusions: Based on our investigation into the lived experience of loneliness among older adults locally, we recommend that the government, non-governmental organizations, and healthcare institutions establish appropriate strategies and integrated services to address the social, physical, familial, and emotional issues in this population to foster healthy aging, improve their quality of life, and encourage support from families and communities.

ABSTRACT Migrant domestic workers are mostly employed under precarious work conditions, yet little is known about the impact of their work on their health and wellbeing. Due to economic hardships and their low social status, the workers may endure such harsh conditions in exchange for a liveable wage. This study therefore utilized the Job Demands and Resources model’s health impairment process to explore this impact using a sample of Ugandan female migrant domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected before leaving Uganda and through a biweekly diary method across four waves which lasted 8 weeks (N participants = 172, N observations = 366). Results showed that family demands positively predicted emotional exhaustion and somatic complaints. Unexpectedly, work pressure, sexual harassment, and work precarity did not predict either outcome. Job autonomy negatively predicted both emotional exhaustion and somatic complaints, whereas social support had a positive effect on both emotional exhaustion and somatic complaints. Furthermore, core self-evaluation attenuated the negative relationship between job autonomy and emotional exhaustion. This study provides a foundation for further research on migrant domestic workers’ well-being, a unique group often employed under precarious working conditions.