Italy
Addressing social inclusion of immigrant population and the corresponding inclusion models means analysing the pathways to participation of immigrants in the social and citizen life of the country to which they have emigrated by choice (migration project) or by chance (forced migration). Social inclusion is a multidimensional process that involves several dimensions, such as social (in general terms), cultural, economic, professional, educational, political, and else.
The implementation of a social inclusion project for migrant women implies an endeavour to rethink the approaches, methods and actions proposed within the project from a gender perspective. In practice, while planning social services and programmes the diversities of migrant women and their migration experiences should be taken into account, along with further factors, as follows:
- their migration project (push & pull factors, expectations, changes, etc.)
- migratory process (routes, arrival, entry, etc.)
- legal status in Italy (legal/illegal arrival and stay)
- cultural and professional background.
In Italy, there is no standard national policy to be dedicated (almost) exclusively to the integration of migrant women: accordingly, it is the work of the third sector that plays a crucial role in calibrating inclusion policies, strategies and actions aimed at migrant women’s inclusion and participation. It further means that inclusion social services should contemplate their specific needs emerging from some categories that determine the specificity and complexity of female migration phenomenon, namely:
- gender dimension (gender-based stereotypes and violence, motherhood, economic and legal dependence, wish to emancipate, etc.)
- employment opportunities ("female" jobs, professional niches, wages, economic dependence, etc.,)
- healthcare (women\'s health, reproductive health, pregnancy, etc.).
In addition, the role of associative life (social and cultural associations, NGOs, networks, campaigns, awareness-raising campaigns, cultural activities, etc.) becomes fundamental for the strengthening of services aimed at social inclusion and citizen participation of migrant women. The circumstance definitely applies to the Italian context where sections of female immigrant population participate in the social and citizen life of the Country through the work promoted by their (migrant women only) or mixed (native-immigrant, female-male, international, intercultural, etc.) socio-cultural associations.
In terms of recommendations for social inclusion work with migrant women, the following are just some basic aspects that should be considered:
- social inclusion of migrant women is a process, namely a long-time process, and not an emergency
- services aimed at social inclusion of migrant women should be started from and based on their specific needs as women and migrants
- while planning services, programmes and actions aimed at social inclusion and citizen participation of migrant women gender perspective should be taken as a reference
- during the same planning process ethnocentric perspective should be overcome
- this process implies building bridges between migrant women and local communities and other social groups
- associative life of migrant women in Italy should receive major attention from a sociocultural, political and even economic standpoint.
“From Somalia to Salvation” https://viw.pixel-online.org/case_view.php?id=Mjk=: this migration experience shows the importance of gender-sensitive approach that social services should adopt and promote in their work as emphasised by the protagonist of the story.
References
Spedicato Iengo E., Lannutti V., Rapposelli C. (eds.), 2014, Migrazioni femminili, politiche sociali e buone pratiche. Narrazione di sé fra segnali di inclusione e distanze sociali, FrancoAngeli, Milano.
(https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312365159_Migrazioni_femminili_politiche_sociali_e_buone_pratiche_Narrazioni_di_se_fra_segnali_di_inclusione_e_distanze_sociali/link/587b8a6c08ae9a860fe9acea/download)
In this book, self-narration is reported as a reference point for social services in terms of strategies and social policies to be adopted for social inclusion of migrant women.
Garofalo R., 2017, MIGRAZIONE E ACCOGLIENZA: la necessità di un approccio di genere – Buone pratiche e nuove progettualità, marzo 2017.
(http://www.centrosaluteglobale.eu/site/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/GAROFALO-Migrazione-e-Accoglienza-la-necessit%C3%83-di-un-approccio-di-genere.pdf)
This report illustrates examples of good practices useful for the planning of social services from a gender perspective.
Bello B. G., 2015, La dimensione femminile dell\'immigrazione in Italia, in DOSSIER STATISTICO IMMIGRAZIONE, Roma, pp. 155- 160.
(https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301806157_La_dimensione_femminile_dell%27immigrazione_in_Italia_2015)
In Italy, the feminisation of migration flows is at the core of many studies. After offering a brief overview of female migrations in Italy, and of migration typologies relating to women (economic, family, refuges, asylum seeker, etc.), the paper addresses the role of associational life of migrant women in Italy.