'Migration is a form of mobility in which people change their residential location across defined administrative boundaries for various reasons, which may be voluntary or involuntary, or a mixture of both' (Srivastava, 2012). One of the crucial features of migration is the increasing presence of women among the migrants. Although marriage continues to be the predominant reason among migrant women, in subsequent days, migration for work has been increasing among female migrants. According to Sharma (2011), the experience of female migrants differs from that of males. Migration empowers women by moving away from societies with traditional and patriarchal forms of authority, allowing women to work, earn their own money, and exercise greater decision-making power in their daily lives (Sharma, 2011).
Migration for work spurs new opportunities for women to improve their lives by making them independent and break away from oppressive gender relations and also to solve family's financial issues through remittances. Migration alone does not contribute to empowering women; their educational and occupational status may significantly influence changing work profiles and gender roles.
This paper will examine the migration of Bodo women from Kokrajhar district to Guwahati City in Assam. The main focus of the study is to understand the changing work profile of migrant women and its impact on their families. The study will explore whether women's working status weakens any of the established stereotypical gendered roles woven around domestic and familial responsibilities.
This research will use qualitative research methodology to gain detailed insight and understanding from the participant's point of view. In-depth and unstructured interviews will be conducted with the female working-age population between 30 to 50 years. The study will examine their lives, including their role and work before and during migration. To identify Key informants, purposive and snowball samplings will be used.
