Today, 8 March, we celebrate International Women’s Day 2021.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, the essential contribution of so many migrant women to their societies has gained much-deserved recognition. Many have been working on the ‘frontlines’ of the crisis in such areas as health and care services and transport; others have been providing vital support to their communities and families.
At the same time, as a result of pre-existing, systemic inequalities and discrimination, migrant women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. EWSI has been sharing related research and publications from across Europe, as well as continuing to highlight some of the most interesting integration initiatives run by and for migrant women.
Integration practices
- In Denmark, the Neighbourhood Mothers programme promotes the social and cultural integration of isolated and vulnerable women by pairing them with volunteer 'mothers' who support them to navigate local services and discover the local community. There are more than 900 active 'mothers' in more than 40 local groups all over Denmark, who between them represent 41 nationalities and speak 54 different languages.
- In Sweden the organisation Skellefteå SK is running a socially inclusive football programme, for (migrant) girls at risk of social exclusion who would not otherwise have been able to join a sports club. The project promotes social integration, a healthy lifestyle, increased self-esteem and leadership skills.
- A project by the Athens Network of Collaborating Experts (ANCE) in Greece supported 150 unemployed migrant women by providing information regarding their labour rights, as well as the required guidance and support to enter the labour market. A similar project in Germany prepares refugee and migrant women for the labour market through the provision of support for skills training, career planning and language learning, and offers trauma-sensitive individual coaching, learning support and counselling.
- In Malta, a non-profit financial institution is lending funds to people struggling financially, especially Maltese women and migrants who cannot access banks or their services, and the Migrant Women Association Malta (MWAM) launched the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project to support women at high risk of sexual and gender-based violence and exploitation during lockdown.
- Migrant women inmates in a prison in Portugal are being supported by the Women in Reclusion in Portugal project. The project encourages personal growth and self-care, and facilitates the development of new social and emotional competencies that are essential for reintegration upon release. Elsewhere in Portugal 120 women were supported by Project Gericuidar, which fostered the social and professional integration of migrant women in the elderly care sector, through training sessions and the setting up and development of a support programme for the elderly.
News and publications
EU initiatives
The new EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion (2021-2027) includes several actions aimed specifically at migrant women. These include improving their opportunities for employment and skills recognition, better access to health services (in particular during and after pregnancy), and increased focus on gender mainstreaming and inclusion of women in related decisions and policymaking. The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund also continues to fund initiatives supporting the integration of migrant women across Europe. As part of their joint Migration Platform, The EU and Canada also organised a series of events and discussions focused on the integration challenges and opportunities faced by migrant women on both sides of the Atlantic. These culminated in the production of an outcomes report with chapters dedicated to migrant women's labour market integration and social inclusion, as well issues of sex, gender and equity in health. |
Recent publications:
The social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is being widely researched across Europe. The adverse effect of the pandemic on the labour market integration of migrants has been of particular interest, with some studies focusing specifically on employment difficulties for migrant women. Other research highlights difficulties faced by migrant women more generally - particularly those born outside the EU - and the double disadvantage at which they are placed by virtue of their status as both 'migrant' and 'woman'.
-
Gaps in the EU Labour Market Participation Rates: an intersectional assessment of the role of gender and migrant status, EU Joint Research Centre (JRC);
-
Gender perspectives in integration policy approaches, Migration Policy Group (MPG);
-
The migrant pay gap: Understanding wage differences between migrants and nationals, International Labour Organization (ILO)
In Ireland, last year's We Are Here Too campaign sought to raise awareness among migrant women about support available for those affected by domestic violence. The campaign shared testimonies and stories from migrant women about their struggles with domestic and gender based violence, and an online information resource page was created. The country's first care worker cooperative has also been created, by migrant women, to support and advocate for the rights of migrant women employed in the care sector.
A recently-published Polish report highlights the difficulties faced by Ukrainian women in Poland, and the ways in which COVID-19 has served to exacerbate these difficulties. Even before COVID-19, a report published last year in Germany showed that two-thirds of the residents of the country's women's shelters were migrants. The report found that these migrant women struggled in particular with access to necessary social networks and resources, and were especially vulnerable to violence and financial coercion.
In addition to the many skills and economic benefits migrant women bring to their new countries, their successful integration effects positive social change, at both local and international level. EWSI will continue to share best practices, news and publications related to their integration, as well as to highlight the ongoing challenges they face. COVID-19-related developments can be followed here.
Details
- Publication dates
- Geographic area
- EU Wide
- Posted by