The Invisible Weight: Care, Work, and the Reality of Migrant Women

“The challenge is not only to give, but to give in ways that allow room to gain.”

For many, migration is not only about personal opportunity, but about sustaining others.

Care takes different forms. Some raise children without the support systems they once

relied on or that they grow up having. Others support parents, siblings, nieces, or extended

family members from a distance. Some navigate the emotional weight of having children

back home while working abroad to provide for them. Even for those without children, the

expectation of care often remains expressed through financial, emotional, or social

responsibility.

In many cultures, caregiving is shared. Extended family and community networks make daily

life more manageable. Migration changes this reality. What was once collective becomes

individual. Responsibilities that were once distributed are now carried by one person or a

small household.

Within this context, work is often shaped by responsibility. Many migrant women take up

roles that are accessible, flexible, or immediately available. These “survival jobs” may not

reflect their qualifications or long-term aspirations, but they provide stability where it is

urgently needed.

Over time, this balancing act can influence career progression. Limited time for upskilling,

reduced access to professional networks, and the constant negotiation between work and

caregiving can slow down advancement. Structural barriers such as bias, occupational

segregation, and limited recognition of prior qualifications can further narrow opportunities.

The result is not a lack of ambition, but a reality shaped by layered responsibilities.

At the same time, these experiences reflect resilience that often goes unrecognised. Migrant

women adapt, rebuild, and sustain families across borders while navigating new systems

and expectations.

Yet as we reflect on these realities, especially in the context of International Women’s Day,

there is also a need to shift the conversation.

Women have always been contributing of their time, energy, care, and resources. Migrant

women, in particular, often carry this responsibility across multiple spaces at once. But this

level of commitment should not come at the cost of depletion.

There is a need to give with consciousness to offer support in ways that are sustainable, that

recognise personal limits, and that make space for growth. Extending care to others must

also include care for oneself.

To sustain others effectively, it is important to recognise that receiving is also part of the

process. When women are able to give and receive in balance, they are better positioned to

grow not just endure.

Migration is often framed as a journey of sacrifice and resilience. For many women, it is also

a journey of continuous contribution. The challenge, then, is not only to give, but to give in

ways that allow room to gain.

Because when support for others is balanced with personal growth, women can continue to

uplift those around them without losing themselves in the process.

About the Author

Racheal Ikulagba writes as a community-led impact project manager focused on capacity

building, leadership, and sustainable change within migrant and diaspora communities.