GCM Objective 17

Eliminate all forms of discrimination and promote evidence-based public discourse to shape perceptions of migration
Bangladesh - Women at Work Nadia Islam Nitul is a dentist by profession. She also has been working as a radio jockey for last many years.
UN Women/Mohammad Rakibul Hasan

Issues

It is paramount to eradicate all forms of gender-based discrimination, including labour market segregation, gender pay gaps, lack of political participation, travel restrictions, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), lack of access to documentation and lack of access to education and vocational training.

Racism, xenophobia and poverty compound existing inequalities and must be eliminated at all levels in line with international human rights law. Migrants around the world have been blamed and stigmatized as carrying and spreading COVID-19 and have consequently experienced discrimination. Evidence-based discourse on migration is needed to shape public perceptions about migrant women and girls based on reality and not on stereotypes.

Media outlets, including social media, should be encouraged to produce gender-responsive, disability-sensitive and non-discriminatory reporting on migrants that fosters tolerance and mutual respect, including in the context of the pandemic. Use of gender-responsive language, airing women’s and girls’ voices and stories, portraying migrant women as actors and agents rather than victims and gender diversity on editorial boards are critical.

Measures

  • Gender-responsive research and analysis based on sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics to analyse the specific needs, opportunities and contributions of migrant women and girls to society as well as violations of their rights
  • Education of media professionals on the linkages between gender and migration
  • Awareness-raising by the media, information and communication sectors on the contributions made by migrant women to the economy and society and their risks of gender-based discrimination and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)
  • Community awareness-raising and dialogue about the financial and social costs and benefits of migration for women and the families they leave behind, in conjunction with non-governmental partners, including women’s organizations
  • Public awareness campaigns, based on ‘communications for behaviour change’ models, that seek to eliminate xenophobia and stereotypes about migrants, including those based on gender
  • Policies that prohibit hate speech based on negative gender and cultural stereotypes about migrants
  • Promotion of the participation and leadership of migrant women in social, economic and political life and in addressing discrimination
  • Promotion of a narrative that portrays migrant women as agents rather than through a lens of vulnerability
  • Provision of national and regional complaint and redress mechanisms for migrant women and girls who experienced discrimination
  • The holding of media companies and other stakeholders to account on the creation, promotion or sharing of misleading or false information about migrants by enacting, implementing or maintaining gender-responsive legislation that penalizes hate crimes targeting migrants, including on the basis of gender or cultural stereotypes
  • COVID-19: Ensure that information about COVID-19 is evidence-based and that its spread is not falsely or unfairly attributed to migrants

Checklist

Question Yes Not yet
Do national statistics offices or other relevant stakeholders collect sex- disaggregated data and gender statistics on migration in order to analyse the specific needs, opportunities and contributions of migrant women and girls to society as well as violations of their rights?
Does your State provide awareness-raising campaigns promoting the social and economic contributions of migrant women as well as the challenges they face?
Has your State carried out public awareness campaigns, based on ‘communications for behaviour change’ models, that seek to eliminate xenophobia and stereotypes about migrants, including those based on gender?
Has your State adopted and implemented legislation prohibiting all forms of gender-based, racist and xenophobic discrimination in public and private spheres?
Has your State adopted and implemented legislation prohibiting hate crimes and hate speech targeting migrants, including based on gender and cultural stereotypes?
Does your State promote the participation and leadership of migrant women in social, economic and political life?
Are there national and regional complaint and redress mechanisms in place for migrant women and girls who have experienced discrimination in your State?
Does an independent regulatory body monitor media output?
If yes, is this body charged with monitoring the creation, promotion or sharing of misleading or false information about migrants?
Have initiatives been carried out to educate media professionals on the linkages between gender and migration?
COVID-19: Is information about the pandemic evidence-based rather than it being falsely attributed to migrants?