Migrant Women: Patterns of Integration, the Greek case

Maria Liapi

DIOTIMA, Center for Research on Women´s IssuesAthens

FeMiPolIntegration of female immigrants in Labour market

and society. Policyassessment and policy recommendations

a) Integration policies for migrant women in Greece

b) Migrant women’s agency: Patterns of integration

FeMiPolIntegration of female immigrants in Labour market

and society. Policyassessment and policy recommendations

New trends in female migration and the integration of New trends in female migration and the integration of migrant women in Greece: main pointsmigrant women in Greece: main points

Integration policies refer to legalized and regularized Integration policies refer to legalized and regularized immigrants leaving aside the great number of those who have immigrants leaving aside the great number of those who have not succeeded or chosen to get regularizednot succeeded or chosen to get regularized

Unstable legality: The process of regularization should be Unstable legality: The process of regularization should be seen as a continuum, a spectrum of consecutive phases of seen as a continuum, a spectrum of consecutive phases of legality and illegalitylegality and illegality

Major differences and great inequalities between migrants Major differences and great inequalities between migrants working in the formal and the informal sector: Women working in the formal and the informal sector: Women employed in the domestic and care sector still constitute an employed in the domestic and care sector still constitute an invisible labour force with no labour rights and access to social invisible labour force with no labour rights and access to social services and goods while at the same time take the pressure services and goods while at the same time take the pressure off the care systemoff the care system

Policies are not only male-orientated but also family-orientated Policies are not only male-orientated but also family-orientated with a rather patriarchal approach towards them, despite the with a rather patriarchal approach towards them, despite the feminization of migration in Greece. Migrant women are visible feminization of migration in Greece. Migrant women are visible for policies only as family members and victims of domestic for policies only as family members and victims of domestic violence and trafficking. violence and trafficking.

Trafficking, mixed marriages, domestic violence, employment Trafficking, mixed marriages, domestic violence, employment in the informal sector and social insurance are issues still in the informal sector and social insurance are issues still regulated in a fragmentary way even through the new law regulated in a fragmentary way even through the new law 3536/20073536/2007

The new immigration law as a whole rarely takes into The new immigration law as a whole rarely takes into

consideration migrant women’s specific needs and consideration migrant women’s specific needs and characteristics considering their status and multiplicity of characteristics considering their status and multiplicity of reasons leading women to emigrate, the diverse elements of reasons leading women to emigrate, the diverse elements of their immigration. Many regulations amount to direct or their immigration. Many regulations amount to direct or indirect discrimination against themindirect discrimination against them

Implementation of policies: all 4 governmental bodies and Implementation of policies: all 4 governmental bodies and agencies are newly established therefore their organizational agencies are newly established therefore their organizational structure, role and responsibilities are in the process of structure, role and responsibilities are in the process of maturing. Moreover they are understaffed, not much maturing. Moreover they are understaffed, not much experienced with limited scope of action while deficits in experienced with limited scope of action while deficits in resources lead to inefficiency of activities.resources lead to inefficiency of activities.

NGOs and advocacy groups are playing a crucial role in NGOs and advocacy groups are playing a crucial role in

supplementing the formation and implementation of policies supplementing the formation and implementation of policies still organizations and other collectivities representing civil still organizations and other collectivities representing civil society have been excluded from the formal procedures and society have been excluded from the formal procedures and competences competences

Segregation of migrant women in the domestic and care sector Segregation of migrant women in the domestic and care sector (non regularized) leads to great dependence on employers(non regularized) leads to great dependence on employers

The right to self insurance facilitates in the short run their way The right to self insurance facilitates in the short run their way in issuance of renewable short term work permits still it in issuance of renewable short term work permits still it undermines their future in terms of the consolidation of their undermines their future in terms of the consolidation of their work rights i.e. pension, and creates insecurity as regards their work rights i.e. pension, and creates insecurity as regards their long term settlementlong term settlement

Being in the most cases well educated migrant women Being in the most cases well educated migrant women undergone a severe deskilling process. Moreover there are undergone a severe deskilling process. Moreover there are reskilling policies and the great majority have no access to reskilling policies and the great majority have no access to vocational training for unemployed as they cannot prove their vocational training for unemployed as they cannot prove their unemploymentunemployment

Migrant women’s agency: Patterns of integration The sample (20 women)The sample (20 women) The great majority originates from ex socialist countries of Eastern The great majority originates from ex socialist countries of Eastern

Europe and the Balkans (Russia, Ukraine, Georgia/Kazakhstan, Poland, Europe and the Balkans (Russia, Ukraine, Georgia/Kazakhstan, Poland, Bulgaria, Rumania and Albania) as well as two African women (from Bulgaria, Rumania and Albania) as well as two African women (from Sierra Leone and Nigeria). Their age ranges from 25 to 57. Sierra Leone and Nigeria). Their age ranges from 25 to 57.

In terms of their family situation most of them were married with In terms of their family situation most of them were married with children and only one was single, while from the married ones 13 are children and only one was single, while from the married ones 13 are either separated or divorced and one is a single mother. Eleven (11) either separated or divorced and one is a single mother. Eleven (11) cases have, at least one, under aged dependent children either living cases have, at least one, under aged dependent children either living with them or in their home country. Most migrant women from Albania with them or in their home country. Most migrant women from Albania have migrated with other family members – siblings- who also live in have migrated with other family members – siblings- who also live in Greece (kinship migration).Greece (kinship migration).

Their legal status varies between dependent legalization (2 cases with Their legal status varies between dependent legalization (2 cases with family reunification), to marriage with natives or family reunification), to marriage with natives or omogeneisomogeneis (3), whereas (3), whereas the rest manage to get the provisional residence permit renewed every the rest manage to get the provisional residence permit renewed every 2 years apart from those who originate from new member states of the 2 years apart from those who originate from new member states of the EU (Poland, Rumania, Bulgaria) for whom new transition legal provisions EU (Poland, Rumania, Bulgaria) for whom new transition legal provisions have been applied.have been applied.

9 migrant women work in the domestic sector being undocumented by 9 migrant women work in the domestic sector being undocumented by

choice or having no other way as employers do not accept to document choice or having no other way as employers do not accept to document them.them.

In terms of their educational and professional background, 13 women In terms of their educational and professional background, 13 women

are well educated – holding university degrees – and have had a are well educated – holding university degrees – and have had a professional career in their countries of origin.professional career in their countries of origin.

Migration types and patterns Migration types and patterns Marriage migrationMarriage migration - -Family migrationFamily migration - - Sole migrationSole migration Male dominated plan of migrationMale dominated plan of migration A male dominated migration plan leading to the loss A male dominated migration plan leading to the loss

of migrant woman’s independence of migrant woman’s independence The interruption of the family formation migration The interruption of the family formation migration

plan and the re-orientation towards an independent plan and the re-orientation towards an independent migration planmigration plan

The failure of a mixed marriage changes the family The failure of a mixed marriage changes the family migration plan into an independent migration planmigration plan into an independent migration plan

Independent migration planIndependent migration plan Becoming the sole breadwinner of the family Becoming the sole breadwinner of the family A migrant pensionerA migrant pensioner An independent migration plan for the sake of the An independent migration plan for the sake of the

children children An independent migration plan under the urgent need An independent migration plan under the urgent need

to escape personal problems and exploitation or find to escape personal problems and exploitation or find better life prospectsbetter life prospects

Forced migration Forced migration Migration due to political crisis and war Migration due to political crisis and war A migration plan based on idealized images of and A migration plan based on idealized images of and

beliefs about Greecebeliefs about Greece Forced to migrate because of child’s health problemsForced to migrate because of child’s health problems

Work in the informal domestic sector as the only Work in the informal domestic sector as the only route to gain entrance into the labour marketroute to gain entrance into the labour market

Trapped in the informal sector of domestic work due Trapped in the informal sector of domestic work due to gendered legalization procedures (family to gendered legalization procedures (family

reunification)reunification) Asymmetries in gender relations and the family Asymmetries in gender relations and the family

(re)negotiation processes(re)negotiation processes Reverting to the informal domestic sector despite the Reverting to the informal domestic sector despite the

efforts to enter other segments of the labour marketefforts to enter other segments of the labour market The “choice” of informal domestic work as the only The “choice” of informal domestic work as the only

way to handle extreme conditions of social exclusionway to handle extreme conditions of social exclusion

Between constraints and chances: social Between constraints and chances: social integration strategies of informal domestic integration strategies of informal domestic workersworkers

Limited access to state welfare entitlementsLimited access to state welfare entitlements

Work strategies and contractual relationships for Work strategies and contractual relationships for gaining flexibility in the informal domestic labour gaining flexibility in the informal domestic labour marketmarket

Hardworking and trustworthy at work as strategies for Hardworking and trustworthy at work as strategies for self identification and social integrationself identification and social integration

Single migrant women’s internalization of the Single migrant women’s internalization of the dominant stereotype leads to their social isolation and dominant stereotype leads to their social isolation and limited chances for social integrationlimited chances for social integration

Children as a priority and a decisive factor for Children as a priority and a decisive factor for succeeding (or not) social integrationsucceeding (or not) social integration

Coping with language skillsCoping with language skills Participation in (informal) social and ethnic networksParticipation in (informal) social and ethnic networks

Live-in formal domestic work Live-in formal domestic work The choice of live-in domestic work as a way to secure The choice of live-in domestic work as a way to secure

legalization, residence stabilization and greater earnings legalization, residence stabilization and greater earnings to be remittedto be remitted

Economic integration versus social exclusionEconomic integration versus social exclusion The advantages of live-in domestic work for short term The advantages of live-in domestic work for short term

migration plans versus its long term disadvantagesmigration plans versus its long term disadvantages The painful dilemmas of being a migrant mother and the The painful dilemmas of being a migrant mother and the

sole bread-winner of a transnational familysole bread-winner of a transnational family Acquisition of the Greek language is facilitated through Acquisition of the Greek language is facilitated through

daily contacts with nativesdaily contacts with natives

Processes of deskilling and downwards social mobilityProcesses of deskilling and downwards social mobility Deprived from chances and opportunities to develop Deprived from chances and opportunities to develop

social relations with both natives and co-ethnicssocial relations with both natives and co-ethnics Integration into the private sphere (family) and exclusion Integration into the private sphere (family) and exclusion

from the publicfrom the public Inability to make plans for the future because of Inability to make plans for the future because of

the ever changing transnational family needsthe ever changing transnational family needs

Attempts for integration through self employmentAttempts for integration through self employment

Self employment as the only way to cope with the Self employment as the only way to cope with the exclusion from the public childcare services and with exclusion from the public childcare services and with family reconciliation needsfamily reconciliation needs

Self employment as a survival solutionSelf employment as a survival solution

Inclusion into the labour market undermines children’s Inclusion into the labour market undermines children’s well beingwell being

Self employment as a means to regain the lost social Self employment as a means to regain the lost social status and give meaning to the migration planstatus and give meaning to the migration plan

Acquisition of language skills is considered a capital for Acquisition of language skills is considered a capital for economic and social integrationeconomic and social integration

The role of personal relationships/or marriage with The role of personal relationships/or marriage with Greek men in the economic and social integration Greek men in the economic and social integration processprocess

Transformation of voluntary work Transformation of voluntary work

into paid labourinto paid labour Political participation and activism Political participation and activism

as an enabling process to the as an enabling process to the development of a migrant identity development of a migrant identity and a social integration process and a social integration process

Gender emancipation vis-à-vis Gender emancipation vis-à-vis migrant exclusionmigrant exclusion

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