Building a new life: the challenges, hopes and trajectories of migrant women living in Malta.
The Empowerment Circles Project, designed and carried out by Migrant Women Association Malta, is funded through the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector on behalf of the Ministry for Education and Employment. The core aim of the project is to support asylum seekers , refugees and migrant women living in Malta to build their confidence, communication and social skills, as well as increase their employability.
The Empowerment Circles Project took the form of 32 weekly meetings, held between November 2018 and June 2019, where asylum seekers, refugees migrant women were invited to participate in group activities, such as crafts and yoga, discussions on the challenges of being a migrant woman in Malta, and information sessions on various topics such as employment, education and citizenship.
Using a participatory research approach, one female researcher followed the women´s journey and participated first-hand in the discussions and the activities. Furthermore, the data collection process included the conduction of a focus group, where the researcher’s preliminary results were discussed with the project beneficiaries. This report presents the findings of the qualitative research conducted on the Empowerment Circles Project and represents an attempt to explore and better understand asylum seekers, refugees migrant women’s experiences of starting a new life in Malta and the perceived and concrete barriers to their integration.
Although the women involved in the project were grateful to be in Malta, a country which they perceived as and safe, the data gathered reveals that life in Malta is riddled with obstacles and logistical barriers, negatively affecting the women´s wellbeing and possibilities. In addition to difficulties arising from bureaucratic processes and procedures, the women face daily challenges such as discrimination and bullying on their children in school, incoherent school policies on religious matters, feelings of isolation and unemployment. Another major stress factor is the constant apprehension about their family’s and friends’ wellbeing back home. Moreover, the research provides valuable information on asylum seekers, refugees migrant women’s multiple and overlapping identities, such as their national, religious, collective and maternal identity and how these identities can affect self-esteem, self-confidence/self representation and sense of belonging to the host country.
Main conclusions & recommendations The research documents how daily concerns, logistical and cultural barriers negatively affect asylum seekers, refugees migrant women’s wellbeing, as well as their possibilities of feeling welcome and accepted within Maltese society. According to the women’s positive feedback on the empowerment circles, the meetings seem to have acted as a temporary patch to the longer-term problems that the women face. Hence, although they were useful, they should be considered as a stepping stone towards 5 more substantial change and systemic support. In view of this goal, the report recommends future research and actions in the following areas:
Initiatives to support migrant women’s employability
• There is a need for a personalised and targeted approach to courses and
trainings, in light of the women’s different educational backgrounds, needs,
skills, and career goals.
• Courses for asylum seekers, refugees migrant women on job interview structure, cultural norms and expectations, including training in presenting personal and professional skills, would be extremely beneficial.
• Training of job consultants and employers focusing on cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity, is strongly recommended.
• Intensive courses in crafts, cooking and food handling offering a certificate of completion or accreditation, should be made available to asylum seekers, refugees migrant women.
Initiatives to support the wellbeing of migrant women and their children.
• There is a need to strengthen the support offered to foreign children in schools through training for teachers in how to handle bullying and by harmonising school policies in religious matters.
• Activities such as culturally-sensitive yoga and meditation should be more
readily available for asylum seekers, refugees migrant women.
• Support groups for asylum seekers, refugees migrant women on how to cope with various challenges (e.g. religious conflict within the family; feelings of isolation etc.) should be established.
• It is highly recommended to encourage asylum seekers, refugees migrant women to learn English and Maltese, as this will help them to communicate effectively and to support the integration of them and their family to the host community.