ENoMW launches first publication on ‘Family Reunion Legislation in Europe: Is it Discriminatory for Migrant Women?’
[Brussels, 10 November 2011] EWL Associate Member Organisation, the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW), has today launched its first publication on the occasion of a Public Hearing in the European Parliament co-organised with the EWL on the theme: ‘Family Reunion Legislation in Europe: Is it Discriminatory for Migrant Women?’
This paper, drafted for the ENoMW by expert Professor Eleonore Kofman from Middlesex University, UK, presents the current state of affairs as regards implementation of the European legislation on family reunification, and highlights the necessity for a stronger gender equality perspective in national policies. A complementary EWL Press Release ‘Directive on Right to Family Reunification must not be reopened, say European Women’s Lobby and European Network of Migrant Women’, further elaborates on the EWL and ENoMW joint position on this issue.
Summary of the publication:
In the last ten to fifteen years the perspective on immigration and concept of multiculturalism in Europe has changed in a negative way and is under debate. Therefore many European countries have established tighter conditions - such as entry tests and knowledge of society(civic education) tests – to restrict family reunification. The Family Reunification directive was the first major directive on legal migration adapted by the Council under article 63 EC Treaty, which applies to all member states. However number of countries either took a long time to adapt the directive into the national legislation and put tough conditions for families to reunify and some countries like Denmark, Ireland and the UK opted out from it. In the view of upcoming Green Paper on the Right to Family Reunification EWL and ENoWM want to call attention to the fact that reunification policies for migrant women – have to be gender-sensitive and accessible - both for their wellbeing and for the integration chances of their families as a whole.
By
Eleonore Kofman
Social Policy Research Centre
Middlesex University, UK
© 2011 European Network of Migrant Women
Project coordinator: Selmin Çali?kan, European Women’s Lobby
Graphic design: Leanda E. Barrington-Leach, European Women’s Lobby
Cover photo: Dietmar Temps, Flickr
Download the publication in PDF format:
- family reunification enomw 2011
