European Women's Lobby: EU Member States must guarantee equality by giving migrant women autonomous status, says EWL Associate Member, the European Network of Migrant Women

Officials, experts and representatives of civil society gathered today in Brussels for the launch of the third edition of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX), a long-term project which evaluates and compares what governments are doing to promote the integration of migrants in all EU Member States and several non-EU countries. Among the findings of the latest report is an issue of particular concern to the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW): few Member States guarantee the autonomous status of spouses, even in situations of domestic violence...
Since its formation in 2007 as a platform for the voices of migrant women’s organisations from across Europe, the ENoMW has worked to draw attention to the importance of family reunification policies for migrant women – both for their wellbeing and for the integration chances of their families as a whole. In the majority of cases however, the practice of tying residence permits and rights to the fortunes of a primary migrant reinforces gender inequalities within migrant communities.
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