News

Social Platfrom's side-event at the 3rd Annual Convention of the European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion

Date: November 26 Time: 17.30-19.30 (room: Studio) Place: The Egg (Rue Bara 175, 1070 Brussels)

Migrants are over-represented in poverty and social exclusion throughout Europe. They face many obstacles (including discrimination,legal and administrative barriers) that hinder access to the labour market, housing, education, health, social services and essential goods. These obstacles not only trap migrants in a cycle of poverty but also prevent Europe from fully benefiting from migration. This event will include real life testimonies and experiences of what can be done at both national and EU level to constructively reverse the trends that link migration and poverty. Input from participants will be an important component of this event.

The event will deepen the knowledge and understanding of the many different barriers that migrants face through the EU and solutions that could be implemented.  Participants will hear from both migrants themselves and experts who work with them in the field. The aim of the event is to inspire further engagement with these issues in the daily work of participants.

The aim is to raise awareness about migrants’ situation in Europe, their over representation in poverty, and recent policy developments, both at EU and national level. Integrating a migrant sensitive approach to anti-poverty and social inclusion policies and strategies is a crucial step – and added value – in reaching an inclusive society for all.

Social Platform’s 47 pan-European members (and the European Network of Migrant Women) developed a position paper on migration, which includes the human rights concerns of regular and irregular migrants, asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection.

AGENDA

17.30-17.40 Opening remarks by Heather Roy, President of Social Platform

Testimonies

1. 17.40-18.15 Access to Employment: Guest speaker Ms Anna Zobnina will share her story of being a migrant woman from Russia, living in Cyprus.

• Presented by Lara Natale, European Network of Migrant Women
• Exchange of experience with the audience
• Identification of similar or different barriers with the audience
• Discussion on the recommendations made by Social Platform

2. 18.15-18.50 Access to Education: A video clip by PICUM’s ‘Undocumentary’ – the reality of undocumented migrants in Europe.

• Presented by Michele LeVoy, Director PICUM
• Exchange of experience with the audience
• Identification of similar or different barriers with the audience
• Discussion on the recommendations made by Social Platform

3. 18.50-19.25 Access to Services: Guest speaker: Tanya Zhyla from Crossroads Gothenborg, Sweden will share their good national practice/project working on access to services for migrants in relation to homelessness

• Presented by Mauro Striano, Policy Officer, European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless
• Exchange of experience with the audience
• Identification of similar or different barriers with the audience
• Discussion on the recommendations made by Social Platform

19.25-19.30 Concluding remarks by Brigitte Triems, Member of Social Platform’s Management Committee

SPEAKERS

Ms Heather Roy: is Secretary General of Eurodiaconia. She has previously worked in the homelessness sector in her native Scotland and as European Director for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. She has also worked with the Council of Europe in the field of youth and have specific experience of work in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to develop voluntary organisations as well as developed partnerships with other world regions including the Arab world.

Brigitte Triems: has a professional background as an interpreter/translater and political scientist. She was President of the European Women’s Lobby from 2008 until 2012 and was a EWL Board member since 2006. Brigitte has been involved with the National Council of German Women’s Organisations since 2002, being its vice-chairwoman between 2004 and 2008. She is specialised in women’s and equality rights at UN and EU levels, as well as in the eastern and central European countries.

Anna Zobnina, born in St.Petersburg, Russia in 1978, migrated to Cyprus in 2003. She received her scholarship for an MA in Sociology with the University of Nicosia and for the last several years has been working as a researcher at the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies, through which she is also a member of the ENoMW. The focus of her research is care economy, violence against women, sexual & reproductive rights and feminist discourse analysis.  In collaboration with Puss Riot feminist collective, Anna has authored an introduction to the book "Let's Start Pussy Riot" and is currently working on a new documentary that will feature Pussy Riot in the frames of global feminism. As an independent migrant woman entrepreneur in Cyprus, she was featured in the film "This is my Home Now" produced by ENoMW & EWL and directed by Saddie Choua. Anna is also a publishing poet and a single parent of two daughters who reside with her in Cyprus.

Lara Natale is the first coordinator of the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW), a migrant-women led network of feminist national associations and platforms that established its financial independence in March 2013.  Born to Italian parents who migrated to the UK, and now based in Brussels, Lara coordinates the activities of ENoMW's national members and platforms, and represents the network in its European-level advocacy endeavours. Currently, these focus on access to employment for migrant women.

Ms Michele LeVoy: is the Director of PICUM since 2006. She was previously coordinator of an international Master Degree program in human ecology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and coordinator of a European multicultural society youth program at Pax Christi International. She has worked with resettled refugees in Chicago, USA, and with migrants in Brazil. She holds a Bachelor degree in French and Justice and Peace Studies from the University of St. Thomas and a Master in Applied Sciences (Housing and Development Program) from the Université Catholique de Louvain.

Ms Tanya Zhyla: studied social work in Ukraine and after graduation in 2009 she moved to Sweden to study Social work and Human rights, she did her Masters on the Situation of undocumented workers in Sweden. She has been involved in various projects targeting vulnerable groups, such as elderly people, children with special needs and migrants. At the moment she works as an adviser/counselor for EU immigrants at the City Mission, Crossroads Gothenburg in Sweden.

Mr Mauro Striano: is the Migration Policy Officer for FEANTSA. He is also responsible for participation policies and for FEANTSA relations with the European Parliament. He previously worked at SOLIDAR as Decent Work and Industrial Relations Project Assistant. After having studied European Politics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, he specialised in European Law on Migration and Asylum.