Portugal
In Portugal, the National Implementation Plan of the Global Compact on Migration (approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 141/2019) defines, as its third axis, "the promotion of the reception and integration of immigrants, ensuring that they meet regularly, promoting family reunification, favouring the mastery of the Portuguese language, the schooling of children and young people and the education and vocational training of adults, improving the conditions of access to housing, health and social protection, and stimulating their integration and civic participation ".
In the implementation of public policies for the inclusion of immigrants the High Commission for Migrations (created by the Decree No 31/2014 of 27 February 2014) has a very relevant role, as it promotes public policies focused on social inclusion, equal opportunities and valuing diversity among cultures, ethnic groups and religions.
The support mechanisms for immigrants promoted by the High Commission for Migrations, are materialised through the National Network to Support the Integration of Migrants (created by Order No. 203/2016 of 23 July). This network is composed of: (i) National Support Centres for Migrant Integration (CNAIM), aiming to provide an integrated response to migrants in their reception and integration process; and (ii) Local Support Centres for Migrant Integration (CLAIM), which aim, in the framework of local migrant integration policies, to provide decentralised reception, information and support spaces, helping to meet the needs of migrants in their reception and integration process.
In supporting immigrants, the CLAIMs have a very relevant role since they work closely in the territories and provide information on different areas of inclusion (administrative regulation processes, education and training, learning Portuguese as a non-native language, health, among others), providing answers and referring immigrants in an integrated way through the existing structures in the community.
The legal documents that are the basis of these bodies (ACM, CNAIM and CLAIM) address immigration issues in their global sense, not giving visibility to gender issues. However, the Deliberation No. 227/2019 establishing the creation by the ACM of the Project Team on Intersectional Inequalities, translates the recognition of the need for a gender sensitive approach in the analysis and intervention in the field of migration. This team aims to develop and implement gender-sensitive integration policies for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, with particular attention to situations where different inequalities intersect.
Many immigrant women come to Portugal to pursue studies, namely in Higher Education, in these circumstances reference is made to international mobility programs (especially with Lusophone countries) and the internal mechanisms of the Higher Education Institutions that support these students in their inclusion processes.
Another aspect that seems relevant to us is the associative movement of immigrants (regulated by Law no. 115/99, 3rd August 1999). Immigrant associations allow immigrants to organise themselves and defend their interests in a way that makes them visible and gives a voice to their needs, constituting an excellent means of promoting citizenship and civic participation.
To illustrate the role of higher education institutions and associative in Portugal, we propose the analysis of the interview "Deconstructing the country of Floribella", available at https://viw.pixel-online.org/case_view.php?id=MTE=.
Another success story that illustrates the importance of social movements for promoting the inclusion of immigrant women in Portugal is the one entitled “From invisible to visible”, available at https://viw.pixel-online.org/case_view.php?id=MTI=. The protagonist of this story identifies the importance of her contact with human rights and feminist associations in her path of social inclusion.
References
Plano Estratégico para as Migrações 2015-2020 [Strategic Plan for Migration 2015-2020]
https://www.acm.gov.pt/documents/10181/222357/PEM_net.pdf/3a515909-7e66-41e8-8179-e3aa5e0c7195
The Strategic Plan for Migration 2015-2020 aims to politically adapt the country to a more complex and challenging migratory reality, taking into account the «Global Approach to Migration and Mobility» defined by the European Commission.
Lisboa Acolhe – Portal Participativo para Imigrantes [Lisboa Acolhe – Participatory Portal for Immigrants]
https://lisboaacolhe.pt/
The Lisboa Acolhe Portal concentrates information about public/private services and also about the rights and duties of people in Portugal.