Women Join Tajikistan's Labour Exodus

Labour migration from Tajikistan was traditionally the domain of men. They still account for the vast majority of those heading off to Russia or Kazakstan, but young women are increasingly joining the flow of migrants.

For many, it is an opportunity to earn good money and help support their families back home.

A rising proportion of these women have few or no qualifications, which leaves them with few choices when it comes to choosing work. Some are forced into prostitution.

“With boys there is this tendency to think they should go off and earn money. The same thing is increasingly happening with girls – why carry on studying when you’re better off going to earn money?” gender expert Alla Kuvvatova explained. “It look likes greater equality, but for both boys and girls, lack of education means fewer opportunities for career development and for gaining some kind of social status.”

The audio programme went out in Russian and Tajik on national radio stations in Tajikistan, as part of IWPR project work funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.