European Representative Meeting explores challenges of women’s migration in Europe
discuss women migrants in Europe at the ERM
The European YWCAs Representative Meeting (ERM) began in Aarhus, Denmark this week with over 80 European YWCA delegates participating. The meeting began with a welcome from ERM hosts, YWCA-YMCA of Denmark (KFUM-KFUK). Kirsten Lund Larsen, General Secretary of the YWCA of Denmark greeted delegates with a warm welcome. "We are very pleased to host this ERM. We hope to have many fruitful days together and share what it is like to be part of a joint movement."
Delegates began the seminar day ‘Women on the Move: Migrant Women in Europe’ with a presentation from Blandine Mollard; Project Co-ordinator on Gender Coordination at the International Organisation of Migration (IOM). Mollard addressed the issues and challenges that face women migrants in Europe. "The term ‘feminisation of migration’ gives the impression women migrants are everywhere and this is something new. However, UN statistics show that as early as the 1960s women represented 50% of the migrant population. In Europe, more than half the migrants are women," said Mollard.
Despite the alarming gender statistics, research shows women migrate for the same reasons as men. "Women are pursuing opportunities of their own, just like men. They are all affected by the same push and pull factors of poverty, conflict, wage-differentials and labour market needs," said Mollard.
Violence against women and the trafficking of women for the sex industry can often come hand in hand for women migrants. "The migration experience will highly depend on the level of autonomy and empowerment that women already enjoy in their country of origin," said Mollard. "Women get less access to information about legal opportunities to migrate so many have to turn to illegal networks and smugglers. This can have terrible consequences."
Mollard also highlighted actions YWCAs can take to protect the social and economic rights of women migrants. "We can lobby for an increase in the prosecution of traffickers and provide reintegration programmes for victims of trafficking. In the countries of destination for migrants, we can raise awareness of employers to respect the labour rights of migrant women."
The European region has long been perceived as a leader in the YWCA global movement for their work with migrant women and refugees. Donika Godaj, General Secretary of the YWCA of Albania, spoke on their work with Kosovo refugees in the late 90s. "We were a small association then, but we decided what we could do was set up an information centre to help women and children find relatives. Our office looked like a camp but we assisted 570 people with very small resources," said Godaj.
Lila Sharma, YWCA of Belgium Board member spoke on Belgium’s refugee work that includes conversational classes and labour skills in a country with a large number of immigrants. Sharma, originally from Nepal, shared her personal story on living as a women migrant in Europe. "Migration is one of the biggest issues in the 21st century.Women migrants can be double victims. Victims in their own countries, and victims in their country of destination," said Sharma.
Participants also took part in an advocacy training session that focused on migration. This was an opportunity for national associations to share the challenges they face when working with migrant women in their countries."Women migrants should not be portrayed as victims. There are many successful migrant women who have achieved many positive changes to their families and communities," said a delegate from the YWCA of Greece.
ERM will continue until October 19 with issues of migrant women to stay on the agenda along with capacity building workshops, European Union funds training and the election of a new European YWCAs Committee.
