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W-Star
A two-year transnational project coordinated by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) in partnership with us, New Women Connectors from the Netherlands, COSPE from Italy, and MoveGlobal from Germany.
Transforming Participation: Centering Migrant Women's Voices in the Netherlands
4 June 2025
The Hague, The Netherlands
About the Event
This event was organized as part of the W-STAR project, coordinated by the Mediterranean Institution of Gender Studies (Cyprus), and in partnership with COSPE (Italy), MoveGlobal (Germany), and New Women Connectors (the Netherlands). The project is funded by the European Union, and its objective is to give migrant and refugee women the opportunity to make their voices heard by relevant political authorities and decision-makers across Europe.
Stricter immigration policies, the rise and normalization of xenophobic ideologies, as well as the defunding of civil society, particularly organizations working on gender equality - these are intersecting issues that will continue to limit the spaces and opportunities for migrant women to engage in political, democratic, and civic life. Such forces are not accidental, but rather are a part of a broader system designed to exclude and silence migrant women’s voices.
Through this event, we aim to challenge this exclusion and firmly centre the voices, experiences and participation of migrant women in the Netherlands. Together, we will confront the structural barriers to participation both formal and informal and build collective strategies for change at the local, national and European levels. The events includes a roundtable with migrant women leaders, activists, and experts, workshops exploring resistance, solidarity, meaningful participation, and networking.
Workshop Sessions
Participants had the opportunity to take part in one of two workshops, each exploring a different dimension of participation and solidarity.
Workshop 1: Reflecting on Mobility Justice as an Alternative Narrative
Facilitated by Eleni Diker, Oxfam Novib
This workshop invited participants to reflect on the concept of mobility justice and explore how it can offer an alternative way of thinking about migration and movement.
The session encouraged participants to critically examine dominant narratives around migration and consider how mobility is shaped by unequal access to rights, opportunities, safety, and freedom of movement.
Through collective reflection and discussion, participants explored how alternative narratives can challenge restrictive approaches to migration and create space for more just and inclusive perspectives.
The workshop also encouraged participants to think about how mobility justice can contribute to meaningful participation and strengthen the voices of migrant women in discussions about policies that directly affect their lives.
Workshop 2: Unpacking the Nexus: Gender, Climate Change, and Migration
Facilitated by Anila Noor, New Women Connectors, and Eva Lia Colombo, WO=MEN
This workshop explored the interconnected relationship between gender, climate change, and migration.
Participants reflected on how climate change and environmental crises can influence migration and displacement, while also considering how gender shapes people's experiences of these challenges.
The discussion highlighted the importance of understanding migration through an intersectional lens and recognising that migrant women can experience multiple and overlapping forms of vulnerability and exclusion.
The workshop created space to explore how gender-responsive and inclusive approaches can strengthen the participation of migrant women and ensure that their voices are included in discussions around climate justice, migration, and policy responses.
Closing Roundtable
Centering the Voices of Migrant Women: Critical Reflections on Participation
Following the workshop, a roundtable discussion on, "Centering the Voices of Migrant Women: Critical Reflections on Participation", took place. Speakers incuded Oksana Savchuk, project coordinator of the Ukrainian House and co-founder of the VATAHA Foundation, Devika Partiman, director of Stem op een Vrouw, Rahel Boon-Dejene, from RBD and R&D Group, and Lyla Carillo Quan van der Kaaden from Women of Almere!
The event was moderated by Meghan Rens, Erasmus University Rotterdam.
This event was free of charge and open for all.
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W-STAR is a project running from September 2024 to September 2026. It is led by The Mediterannean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) in partnership with New Women Connectors, COSPE and moveGlobal.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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