EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Tailored recommendations. Participation of immigrant women in the Netherlands

Tailored recommendations. Participation of immigrant women in the Netherlands

Introduction

The commission of Arbeidsdeelname Vrouwen uit Etnische Minderheidsgroepen (AVEM) (Participation of Ethnic Minority Women in the Workforce) has published a report over the way in which the participation in the work force and the social participation of ethnic minority women can be promoted.

Description

How can social participation and, specifically, participation in the workforce by women from ethnic minorities be promoted? The commission formulated a total of seven recommendations, varying from dual naturalisation projects, the recognition of competences obtained elsewhere, more and better opportunities for childcare, combating poverty, organising small-scale debates for and by ethnic minority women and setting up a central management control point.

Conclusions

The naturalisation and integration of new and old comers will be promoted by offering them a double-edged approach in which language skills and social participation, paid labour, social activation (including voluntary work), mainstream education and/or work placements are run in parallel. In concrete terms this means that they follow both a language skills course and participate in suitable work, work placement or training.
To be able to offer participants a course that complements their capacities, a tailored assessment of their diplomas and the recognition of competences are necessary. This is done at the start of the naturalisation process.
Initiatives focused at promoting the participation of women from ethnic minorities must accompany individually tailored work and supervision. Case-management must be integrally implemented where the “one stop shop” concept is prevalent.
Small-scale debates must be organised and facilitated to give women from ethnic minorities the opportunity to exchange experiences and learn from each other.
To reduce the decline into poverty, the introduction of the return to work discount, lowering the difference between the net and gross pay of the minimum wage with respect to both employers and employees and using a sliding scale for income-dependent schemes can be suitable tools.
Good management is needed to make and keep the participation of women from ethnic minorities a political, governmental and social issue.

Contact info

AVEM / e-quality
Phone: +31 70 365 97 77
info@e-quality.nl

Publication date

07/03/2002

Links

AVEM / e-quality

Participation of migrant women - policy recommendations (PDF, Dut, 55 KB)

Participation of migrant women - Cabinet reactions (PDF, Dut, 95 KB)

Participation of migrant women - full report (PDF, Dut, 635 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Keywords

Citizens' participation