From Fields to Factories: Gendered Migration amid Economic Transition in Guangdong Province

Paper Abstract: China's economic transition since the 1978 reforms spurred significant structural and strategic shifts, particularly in the context of female labour. The rise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) near the coast further fueled this trend, fostering private sector growth and altering China's social fabric.
This case study focuses on migrant women in Guangdong Province. It employs a mixed-method approach to analyse their workplace conditions, assess policy interventions for their integration, and identify the origins of this migrant population. The paper will critically analyse and scrutinize the governmental and non-governmental reports since the turn of the century using the notable scholarship of Manoranjan Mohanty, Anita Chan, Ching Kwan Lee, and Valarie Tan as the research delves into the economic, social, medical, and legal disparities faced by these women, aiming to understand contemporary China's gender dynamics within the workforce of Guangdong.