Gender-based violence in migration
Published by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the policy brief Addressing gender-based violence in migration: How to strengthen national action plans on Women, Peace and Security across the EU reveals a critical need for the EU to strengthen its response to gender-based violence affecting women and girls during migration.
Despite the EU's progress in combating gender-based violence, current frameworks often fail to fully incorporate a gender perspective, leaving migrant women without adequate protection or support.
As highlighted in the policy brief, migration is a gendered process, impacting women and men differently. Migrant and displaced women and girls are particularly vulnerable, as they face heightened risks of gender-based violence (GBV), including sexual abuse and exploitation, throughout the migration journey – from their countries of origin, during transit and in destination countries.
With unprecedented migration levels and a shifting security landscape, the need to address gender-based violence during migration journeys has become increasingly urgent in the EU.
EIGE's analysis, as presented in the policy brief, reviewed Women, Peace and Security national action plans (NAPs) from seven EU Member States: Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Croatia, Malta, and Finland. While these plans recognise the intersection between gender-based violence and displacement, their impact, according to EIGE, is limited by insufficient allocation of human and financial resources to achieve key goals and objectives. Moreover, inadequate coordination efforts, along with poorly defined monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, further undermine the effectiveness of the NAPs.
It is therefore necessary to strengthen WPS national action plans. Doing so would not only align international commitments with local realities, but also enhance support mechanisms for migrant and displaced women, ultimately contributing to more inclusive migration and security policies.
To effectively address gender-based violence in the context of migration, EIGE recommends strengthening the role of gender equality bodies in crisis management processes and institutionalising the meaningful engagement of civil society, particularly women’s rights organisations and groups working with victims. Involving and collaborating with victims at every stage of the NAP process, from setting the agenda to implementation, is also essential to ensure that strategies both address the needs of GBV victims and support their empowerment and recovery.
