Women and migration

Situation of women in the countries of origin

• Population politics and migration
• The role of the rich countries ( especially Germany), Pharma-industry

Women in the asylum process

• Non-acceptance of women-specific reasons for flight
• Non-acceptance of sexual persecution (as a so-called non-state persecution)
• Justification of oppression as "cultural difference" by german deciders
• Degrading situation in the interviews (e.g. the interview is done and translated by men)
• Dependence on the asylum case of the husband
• Separation of families into different countries all over Europe or different "Bundesländer" in Germany
• Bureaucratic and juristic obstacles against reunions of families
• Seperate deportations of the family members
• Non-acceptance of marriages

Specific situation of migrant women

• Restriction by traditional female role, less (school) education than men, analphabetism, less public activities like work, German courses, political activities, (dependent on the man's permission?)
  => isolation, fears, insecurity in orientating in a foreign environment
• The situation of unmarried women

Economic and social situation

• Exploitation, also sexual, in precarious, sometimes illegal or forced employments
• The situaion of "sex-workers" between exploitation and deportation
• Medical supply
• Women without a legal status

Perpectives for resistance

• Possibilities of support (by antiracist groups, churches, organizations)
• Possibilities of self-organization

"The situation of women" as a topic for the congress

• The preparation group can – to a certain extent -collect and coordinate materials of the theoretical background.
• But for the congress it is not enough to have only one working group for "the situation of women", because the specific situation of women should be a main topic in each of the working groups, especially in "We are here because you are there" and "Isolation".
• More important than a profound theoretical preparation is in our opinion a specific and intensive mobilisation of women before and for the congress. This cannot be done by a single caravan group but is in the responsibility of every caravan group.
• It could be very useful to have contact persons in as many groups as possible who are responsible for the mobilisation in their cities, who could exchange ideas of mobilization and also contribute to the more theoretical part of the preparation.

Ideas for mobilization and solidarity work through caravan-groups

• Visit especially women in the refugees' camps and mobilize for the congress
• Organize meetings, German courses, women groups, common activities , maybe preparation groups for the congress

• For example: a photo or video workshop with refugee women
• Documentation, perhaps publication of flight stories
• Perhaps: contact migrant women who work in night clubs, as dancers, prostitutes etc.
• Provide adresses of helpful organizations or persons

Caravan Group Konstanz, c/o Nicole Niedermüller, Vor der Halde 4, 78462 Konstanz, phone: 07531/24732 and Traudi Pichlmeier, Lycee Helene Boucher, 55 Boulevard Foch, 57100 Thionville, France