A/HRC/53/26/Add.3 reliance on such intermediaries. He encourages the extensive use of the database and stronger efforts to raise awareness of it. C. Employment in countries of destination and the kafalah system 48. The Special Rapporteur received reports that many Bangladeshi migrants have suffered widespread abuses in countries of destination. He was informed that more than 54 per cent of workers leave for Saudi Arabia, 16 per cent for Oman and 9 per cent for the United Arab Emirates. As many of the common countries of destination include countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Special Rapporteur was informed of human rights abuses instigated within the kafalah system that is often practised in these countries and against domestic workers, reportedly mainly women. 49. Under the kafalah system, migrant workers’ immigration status is often legally bound to an individual employer or sponsor for the term of their contracts. The migrant worker thus cannot enter the country, transfer employment or leave without obtaining permission from the sponsor, effectively reducing the ability of the worker to negotiate and bargain the terms of employment. The Special Rapporteur received information on cases where the passports and travel documents of migrant workers were confiscated by employers or sponsors, thus leaving them in a state of captivity. The lack of access to assistance and justice often leave a migrant worker in a continuous situation of despair, which is especially acute among migrant domestic workers. 50. Beyond the kafalah system, it is widely reported that migrant workers in general who are victims of fraudulent visa trading often find themselves in a completely different form of employment than what they were promised, often with very little or no pay. Their dependence on their employers is a serious obstacle for migrants in seeking justice, which leads to employers acting with impunity. Such migrant workers are often in vulnerable situations and are often subjected to intersecting forms of discrimination and abuse, such as sexual and gender-based violence, forced labour and trafficking, including for the purpose of exploitation. Migrant workers have reportedly been victims of ill-treatment, torture, excessive labour for long hours and inhumane living conditions, with little or no recourse to assistance or justice mechanisms. D. Return and reintegration 51. Returning migrant workers face significant challenges in Bangladesh, including stigma and discrimination, disorientation that prevents proper reintegration and a lack of employment opportunities. 52. Women returnees are mostly stigmatized, shunned and discriminated against, due to the belief that they have been victims of physical or sexual abuse or trafficking. Other returnees face discrimination, as families often expect them to return with large amounts of money, which in many cases does not happen, due to exploitation by dalals and agents or employers overseas. Reintegration for returnees can therefore be extremely difficult. Many returnees are not able to find a job at which they can use the skills that they have gained abroad. 53. Migrants return home owing to the end of the contract, visa and passport related factors, disputes with employers or being forced to return from countries of destination, and some return voluntarily. Many who have had disappointing or abusive experiences opt to return home. Around 400,000 Bangladeshis returned home between April and December 2020, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and majority of them were women. 54. However, in spite of many difficult experiences abroad, many Bangladeshis continue to pursue opportunities to migrate and work overseas, given that the economic situation for them at home, including low minimum wage rates and the lack of secured employment, continue to be push factors for migration. 55. The Special Rapporteur notes the existence of the draft national reintegration policy for migrants and other important and relevant initiatives, which assist in providing loans, 8 GE.23-08750