EMN Study: Integration of Migrant Women in the EU , Date: 2023.03.08, format: EMN Study, area: Migration and residence , EU-wide comparative report on 30 Member States of the European Migration Network.

To what extent do Member States consider the situation of migrant women in their integration strategies and measures? This question is addressed by the comparative study of the European Migration Network (EMN).

The study focuses on the main integration areas of the EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027, including, for example, education and training, employment and skills, health, and housing. This study presents integration policies and measures in Member States and the extent to which they specifically target migrant women. The study provides examples of good practices and experiences with integration policies for migrant women at the national, regional, or local level, as well as an overview of targeted policies or measures that have been developed to counteract the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the integration of migrant women.

Integration Policies in the EU Member States

The findings of the study show that in most Member States the integration of migrant women is currently not a national policy priority, although some have identified the issue as an important topic, mostly to improve gender equality. The integration of migrant women into the labour market is one of the main topics of debate in EU Member States, including barriers to labour market access such as lack of recognition of qualifications and language barriers. Migrant women are also not sufficiently informed about their rights in the labour market and lack incentives to seek educational and job opportunities. Other challenges cited included discrimination, lack of social networks, limited access to childcare and other family constraints.

Good practices and challenges posed by the COVID 19 pandemic

Examples of good practice gender-sensitive integration measures, or those that apply the concept of intersectionality, have been implemented in all Member States. Their main focus is on access to the labour market and civic integration, followed by language training, education, health, housing, and entrepreneurship.

The study also shows that migrant women are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most Member States have not adapted their integration policies to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic on migrant women. However, several Member States are considering new initiatives or policy changes to address these challenges.

The comparative EMN study is only available in English. The EMN Germany Paper provides a more comprehensive presentation of results for Germany, whereas the EMN Inform and the EMN Flash are short summaries – the latter two are also only available in English (see "Downloads" under "Further Information").