Women and men at higher risk

The research study highlights economic vulnerabilities as the primary driver of migration from Bangladesh to Mumbai (India) or Kolkata (India).

This study was initiated to generate evidence around the vulnerabilities faced by migrant populations traveling to India. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to explore the vulnerability of sailors and a standard BCC questionnaire was used to assess knowledge around HIV and AIDS.

Cambodia is one of the few countries in Southeast Asia with a generalised HIV epidemic. HIV in Cambodia was first detected in 1991. After peaking at approximately 3.3% in 1998, HIV prevalence among the adult population declined to 1.2% in 2003, and further down to 0.9% in 2005.

Between 1950 and 1980, all internal and international migration was forbidden by the Chinese government. Market reform in the 1980s loosened this government control on internal migration and, in recent years, labor migration to other countries has become part of China’s overall economic strategy.

Indonesia is a major sending country of migrant workers overseas. Indonesian migrant workers are among the fastest‐growing migrant population in Asia. High levels of unemployment in Indonesia, particularly in the current economic condition, together with the relatively low earnings of workers, will continue to encourage Indonesians to seek employment abroad.

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is a source of migrant workers, with Thailand as their main destination country. The long, porous border with Thailand together with Thailand’s demand for low‐skilled labor make it an attractive option for migrant workers.

Domestic conditions, coupled with a geographic location which links the expanding economies of South East Asia, China and South Asia, characterizes Myanmar as a country with dynamic internal and international mobility. Ethnic conflicts are one of the major sources of population displacement in and outside the country.

Nepal is one of the major source countries of migrant laborers, helping fulfill the demand in rapidly industrializing countries in Asia and the Gulf. Foreign employment provides an alternative livelihood for many young Nepalese.

The Philippines is one of the world’s largest and best organised source countries for human labour migration. There are an estimated over 7 million Filipinos overseas at any point in time working in more than 160 countries, with an additional 1.3 million undocumented Filipinos working abroad.

In 2007, it was estimated that there were 4.9 million people living with HIV in Asia, of whom 440,000 became newly infected in the past year and approximately 300,000 died from AIDS‐related illness (#UNAIDS, 2008a).