Female Migrants – Globally Females Are Almost Half of the Migrant Population – Call for Policies Specific for Female Migration
Author: WUNRN
Date: December 26, 2015
Direct Link to Full 4-Page November 2015 UNFPA Document:
FEMALE MIGRANTS – Policy Brief
Women and girls are increasingly migrating on their own, no longer just to accompany husbands or other family members. Globally, females constitute almost half of the international migrant population, and in some countries, they are the overwhelming majority.
The phenomenon of female migration is not adequately addressed in migration policies. Policymakers have yet to acknowledge the particular challenges and risks faced by migrating women and girls and bring their issues to the forefront of the migration and development agenda. Among the major challenges that need to be addressed with appropriate policies and programmes include protection of the human rights of female migrants and equal access to education, decent employment, and health, legal and social services.
Gender plays an important role in all aspects of the migration experience. Women and girls face different challenges. The need to integrate the gender dimension in managing migration and to address the particular needs of female migrants is essential to promote safer migration and to fully reap its benefits.
The migration of females has tremendous potential. It can have an empowering effect for women and girls, positively influencing gender equality by opening up new opportunities and a chance for greater independence and self-confidence. It can be a vehicle for enhancing the status of females. Migration can permit women and girls to escape conflict, personal violence, discrimination, cultural restrictions or oppressive gender roles. Migration can offer better education and employment opportunities and access to health care for women and girls. The migratory experience can also provide increased financial independence and decision-making power.
But the migration of females can also pose significant challenges. Female migrants often face multiple discrimination on account of their nationality, immigration status as well as gender.
Click Link to Access Full 4-Page Document: https://www.unitar.org/dcp/sites/unitar.org.dcp/files/uploads/unfpa_-_policy_brief_on_female_migrants.pdf
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