GCM Objective 16

Empower migrants and societies to realize full inclusion and social cohesion
A refugee from CAR learns the French alphabet as part of an adult education class held at the UN Women Social Cohesion space.
Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Issues

The integration of migrant women and girls is critical to support their economic autonomy and strengthen social cohesion. This requires removing gender-based restrictions on formal employment to enable migrant women’s economic and social participation. Transitioning from the informal to the formal economy reduces women migrant workers’ exposure to precarious work conditions, gender-based violence and sexual harassment.

Women’s and migrant women’s organizations, as well as trade unions, play a key role in channelling information, acting as a bridge to the wider community, supporting migrant women to be leaders and agents of change and helping to foster mutual respect and understanding in their communities. Migrant women and girls are often marginalized and less likely to be integrated, which may be the result of language or cultural barriers that impact on their ability or willingness to integrate.

Participation in language and cultural orientation courses helps not only to build the confidence of migrant women but also to bridge the gap between their expectations and the realities of living in the country of destination. Such courses also help provide migrant women with the information needed to access key services in their new communities.

Measures

  • Inclusive policies and programmes that help migrant women and girls integrate into countries of transit and destination, while respecting their cultural identity and human rights, in compliance with international human rights and international labour standards
  • Laws and policies that promote gender equality in employment and occupation, equal pay for work of equal value and access to decent work for all women, including migrant women
  • Inclusive policies and programmes that foster migrant women’s access to labour market integration and social inclusion in countries of origin, transit and destination
  • Community engagement and dialogue between migrants and community members, with the support of non-governmental organizations, in particular migrant women’s organizations
  • Adequate funding to support migrant women’s organizations
  • Engagement of civil society organizations, in particular migrant women’s organizations and workers’ organizations, in designing and implementing policies and programmes aimed at labour market integration of migrant women
  • Provision of access to free or low-cost language and cultural orientation courses providing migrants with an understanding of how the culture, traditions and practices in the country of destination may differ from their own to better support integration
  • COVID-19: Realization of full inclusion and social cohesion of migrants during the pandemic as well

Checklist

Question Yes Not yet
Has your State eliminated all gender-based discriminatory restrictions on formal employment?
Does your State promote equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and work at a national level for migrant workers, irrespective of their gender or sector of work?
Does your State have laws in place that ensure equal pay for equal work?
Does your State provide gender-responsive pre-departure and/or post-arrival programmes for migrant workers?
Does your State have gender-responsive policies in place to support the integration of migrant women, including access to the labour market?
Are there policies in place promoting the establishment of community engagement programmes to promote dialogue between migrants and community members at the national and/or local level?
Does your State provide free or low-cost language classes for migrants?
Does your State provide free/low-cost cultural orientation courses for migrants?
Is dedicated funding available to support migrant women’s organizations at the national and/or local level?
COVID-19: Does your State continue to promote the full inclusion and social cohesion of migrants during the pandemic?