Maria Angeli
Migrant women - the gender dynamics of migration

Thank you for inviting me it is a great honour to share this panel with inspiring women. I will give a brief overview of the gender dynamics of migration with a focus on migrant women.

Let’s start by looking at the larger context. The current movement of people into the EU has been described as a ‘migration crisis’. We live in a complex time where many EU member states are closing their boarders and brutally violating human rights even with lethal pushbacks of refugees into the sea. We are witnessing a rise of nationalism with politicians capitalizing on the moral panic about the increasing migration flows. In addition, we need to recognize that the European economy is dependent on a gendered and racialized workforce of underpaid, undervalued and de-skilled care work – mostly provided by migrant women.
I will focus now on migrant women and, to do so, I will draw on a four-year research project that we at MIGS have implemented under the scientific coordination of the University of Edinburgh. The project ‘Glimer: Governance and the Local integration of Migrants and Europe’s Refugees focused on the main axes of integration: language training, housing, and labour market integration. We have analysed the results of the research from a gender perspective, providing theoretically informed but empirically grounded data from four European cities: Malmo, Glasgow, Cosenza, and Nicosia.

The GLIMER research indicates that the ongoing influence of gender inequalities across Europe results in long-term disadvantage, increased social isolation and reduced access to rights and opportunities for displaced women. The conditions of migration and integration become particularly challenging for refugee women who often deal with a triple disadvantage: immigration status, forced migration and gender.
Across Europe, there is a trend towards mobilising heteronormative family structures as the prevailing framework through which integration policies are viewed. In Cyprus, for example, applications for asylum are generally submitted by the male ‘head of family’, and women are considered ‘dependents’ along with other family members such as children. Similarly, in Sweden, marriage/family reunification procedures discriminate against women who risk having a residence permit denied if their partner cannot secure appropriate and affordable housing. These gendered dynamics are built into displaced migration processes and often lead to women losing their sense of agency and becoming invisible, which reinforces institutional sexism.

As a consequence, a large number of women are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and Sexual and Gender Based Violence. A recent study conducted by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies for UNHCR showed that one in two refugee women are victims of SGBV.

Integration policies are often designed based on an androcentric approach – and I will provide examples:
Gendered dynamics in accommodation systems expose women and gender minorities to unsafe circumstances. In systems which utilise ‘reception’ models, such as Cyprus and Sweden, reception centres are often not equipped with the policies to prevent/mitigate for SGBV. Overcrowded locations often lack safe spaces for women and girls, which exposes them to multiple risks of sexual violence. Gendered dynamics affect displaced migrants after initial reception as well. For example, unaccompanied minors are often cut-off from services at a young age (18 in Cyprus) and are not provided transition assistance – a policy that disproportionately puts girls at risk of being exploited.

Unequal gender approaches to language training and education disproportionately impact displaced women’s language education prospects. Women frequently experience a ‘double barrier’ to language education, where, for instance, are held responsible for caregiving activities and are unable to attend classes. Education systems do not actively put in place measures that can mitigate this, such as childcare, or school-sensitive timetabling. We have a good practice by the Nicosia Municipal Multipurpose Foundation that schedules the classes in a way that facilitates families: adults attend Greek classes while children attend language classes in their native language.

Displaced women and girls are systematically underrepresented in the labour market. While participants reported that targeted, gender-specific employability training was effective in decreasing barriers to the labour market, it was frequently dismissed.

What can the European Union do to integrate gender equality in integration policies?
• Suggest mainstreaming gender equality across integration policies and increase gender awareness in the asylum process.
• Enforce protection policies already on the books such as Article 59 of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women.
• Facilitate a shift in power to women by supporting the creation of refugee women’s organisations and tailor integration policies that cater their needs though meaning consultations.
• Coordinate local and national action to implement targeted policies regarding SGBV.
• Strengthen the effort of gender parity in policymaking as we have cross-country evidence to support that more women in power tend to lead to more Women Friendly Asylum Policies.