Tomorrow I will head to Brussels for the PICUM International Conference on “Undocumented Migrant Women in Europe: Strategies for Support and Empowerment”. Undocumented women often face a double penalty. They face the usual vulnerability of being undocumented: finding decent work, taking care of their children, obtaining proper health care, and steering clear of violence, all with little to no support from the authorities. Unions have become visible in France and elsewhere in their support for the regularization of undocumented workers. These campaigns are inspiring and leverage already existing political links, but leave out occupations that have high concentrations of undocumented females. Women that work as caretakers for children or caretakers for older people, and women that work cleaning houses are extremely isolated. Even women that work together in hotels lead very isolated shifts.
This conference is interesting because it brings together the non-for-profits and associations, the professionals, and the institutions in various countries to discuss national- and European-level solutions. The logistics are tough when dealing with this level, but PICUM has many materials available in 9 languages, and the conference has four official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
The focus areas for this conference are 1) sexual and reproductive health care, 2) workplace rights, and 3) gender-based violence. To put it in perspective, this Tennessee story of a woman--held for driving without a license--who was shackled as she went into labor shows just how women's abuse can come from being undocumented.
I'll let you know how it goes! And maybe get some Belgian chocolate and moules frites while I'm at it.
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