277 Million Migrant Workers

The migrant population in China numbered 261 million in the 2010 China census, with the majority of the population consisting of rural-to-urban migrants. Children left-behind in rural areas number approximately 60 million. Migrants and their children who migrate with them have little access to social welfare (healthcare, education, labour, insurance, housing, and legal protection). They have little awareness of their legal rights, lack the skills to increase their employability, lack access to personal and professional development, and face discrimination based on their social status. Migrant women are at risk of sexual harassment in the workplace, mental health issues and reduced economic and social opportunity due to cultural expectations of a woman’s role.  They are also at risk of human trafficking.  In short, they suffer from many of the challenges facing international migrants across the world.

At Hua Dan, we believe, and have seen, that migrants are a huge asset to both their sending and receiving places and that they contribute enormously to global economic prosperity, local communities and have the creativity, resilience and global viewpoint that our world so desperately needs.  We believe participation in Hua Dan’s creative workshops gives migrants the skills to overcome the hardships and take advantage of the opportunities that migration presents.