One of the effects of globalisation, poverty and insecurity has been the movement of people and the creation of a global village. In this issue of Common Concern we explore the complex reality of migration in terms of women’s rights, gender discrimination and consider approaches to empowering migrant women. It is a paradox that the idea of a global village is often equated with equal access to opportunities, resource and respect for the dignity of individuals, yet at the same time, migrants, particularly women migrants, continue to face problems like restricted migration laws, lack of opportunities for decent work and social barriers to full integration. Countries are increasingly protecting their resources and their borders while at the same time demanding a share of the global opportunities!

It is in recognition of the above that the World YWCA Council adopted a resolution on women migrant workers that calls on the movement to raise awareness on the challenges women migrant workers face and the increasing incidences of trafficking in women, particularly in Asia.

It is equally important for us to showcase some of the practical approaches and response that the YWCA movement is putting in place as part of the woman-to-woman solidarity. The World YWCA continues to rise to such challenges with its trade-mark approach of providing a safe and secure temporary shelter, accompanied by skills building, social integration, and solidarity. The article shared by the YWCA of Korea amplifies this approach.

The YWCA movement derives its strength from telling the stories of individual women; this Common Concerns features the stories of young women from diverse communities who have faced various challenges as migrants: from women displaced as a result of war and violence to HIV-positive women who experience barriers in accessing treatment.

Read more:

• English: Common Concern Exploring challenges women face when they migrate (PDF 1.18 MB)

• Français: Les difficultés rencontrées par les femmes lorsqu'elles migrent (PDF 1.20 MB)
• Español: Explorando los desafíos que enfrentan las mujeres cuando emigran (PDF 1.25 MB)