Women on the run: invisible fighters on Europe's streets

Women on the run: invisible fighters on Europe's streets

Celle, Deutschland - migration is a topic that affects us all and has increasingly focused on in recent years. It is not only men who take the arduous paths to Europe, but also many women who leave their homes for various reasons. A report by DW shows how women are confronted with war, violence, patriarchal structures and economic uncertainty. Driven by the hope of a better life, they often flee to free themselves from violent partners or forced marriages.

The numbers speak for themselves: In 2023, almost a million asylum applications were made in the EU, a third of which were lost to women - over 300,000 women! It is particularly striking that according to Eurostat The applications of women and girls in Germany have been stable at 30-40 % since 2015. In the children under the age of 15, the gender relationship among asylum seekers is almost balanced, while among the 18- to 24-year-olds only every fifth person is a woman.

The challenges of migration

Migration is often not without problems. Over 60 % of women who reach the EU limits come via the eastern Mediterranean route and come from the majority of Afghanistan and Syria. The location is also worrying for women from West Africa. Women from Senegal and Mali in particular put their lives into play to get to their families to Europe, even if they have to take risks, so reports DW . In just one year, the number of painting asylum applications doubled to 17,000.

What many do not know: women rarely flee alone. They often accompany their children, which also complicated their situation. Between 2012 and 2016, more than half a million female refugees lived in Germany, many with little perspective on a self -determined life. Society is required to support these women.

integration and participation

The integration of refugee women is difficult. Like a comprehensive report by BPB , their life situations vary greatly. Friends or mother-father-child groups who take part in integration and language courses are not uncommon. But the proportion of women sinks into these courses. It can be observed that refugee women end up in minor jobs, since they often bear responsibility for childcare and other household tasks.

Another problem is discrimination: the image that refugees women are only passive companions of male migrants reduces their reality and contributes to the invisibility of this group. They are also more affected by unemployment; The employment rate is 17 percentage points lower than that of refugee men.

The political and social attention for refugee women grows, but the challenges are huge. Access to job opportunities, training and health services often remains an unfulfilled wish. Initiatives that appeal to the specific needs of women are the key to successful integration, emphasize numerous experts.

We have to support each other when it comes to help for these women. The integration is not a unique event, but a process that requires patience, understanding and above all stability in different areas of life.