Feminisation of Migration and Gender Construction: A Beauvoirian Analysis of Women Migrant Workers from Lampung

Abstract

The feminisation of migration has become an important issue, particularly as more women are involved in cross-border labour migration. However, this phenomenon cannot be understood only in terms of increasing numbers. It is also closely related to how gender roles shape women’s migration pathways and experiences. This study aims to examine the feminisation of migration among women migrant workers from Lampung using Simone de Beauvoir’s perspective, with a focus on gender construction and women’s position within migration. This research uses a qualitative approach based on literature review and content analysis, drawing on academic studies, policy reports, and institutional data related to migration and gender. The analysis is guided by Beauvoir’s concept of women as the Other to understand how social structures influence women’s roles in migration. The findings show that women’s migration is strongly linked to gendered labour pathways, particularly in domestic and care sectors. Migration systems, including policies, training, and labour arrangements, tend to place women in roles that are essential but often undervalued and less protected. At the same time, migration provides access to income and mobility, but does not necessarily change the structures that shape women’s position. Overall, this study suggests that feminisation of migration reflects not only women’s movement across borders, but also the persistence of gendered relations that continue to influence how women are positioned within migration systems.