International Women's Day 2016

Poster Women Refugees and asylum seekers in the EU International Women's Day 2016
Poster IWD 2016.jpg © Marie Dorigny

As the number of refugees in Europe continues to climb, an increasing share of those fleeing their countries are women and children. Since the beginning of 2016, women and children account for 55% of those reaching Greece to seek asylum in the EU (source: UNHCR). During their plight, women are particularly vulnerable and are often subject to gender based violence and discrimination. The European Parliament therefore feels that a gender perspective in this sensitive area is particularly necessary and gender sensitivity in all aspects of asylum policies is needed.

An own-initiative report was adopted by the FEMM Committee in January 2016 (plenary vote on 8/03/2016) to highlight this issue and call on member states to adopt a comprehensive set of EU-wide migration and asylum policy related guidelines that provide better levels of support for women.

From 3/03 till 1/06/2016, the Parlamentarium in Brussels displays an exhibition on this subject.