Women’s integration (Gender perspective to immigration)
Who came?
Ginette, Isabelle, Marie-Line, Kari, Natalia, Holly, Sungmi, Kathy, Rose-mai, Kim, Audrey, Constance, Heather
Questions?
How can the NB refugee clinic grow to better support precarious status women?
What is preventing our province to mirror women -specific programs that are happening across the country?
What funding opportunities exist to grow gendered programming for immigrant women?
Where is the government leadership (ahem, ‘’feminist’’ trudeau) to influence policies?
What are the systemic policies that contribute to the challenges re: immigrant? Women’s interaction
Notes & ideas
Women often follow their spouse as ‘dependents’ difficult to find work, child care etc.
Challenge values + family dynamics
Social isolation, how to leave the home (language barriers) mental health → interpretation challenges (eg. Woman interpreter)
Systemic issues: affordable child care, pay equity, foreign credential recognition, gender norms
Status: fear of deportation, huge gap in services for precarious status women
Settlement agencies have little resources to dedicate to gendered programming (no time!)
Community agencies + businesses need to extend their intersectional\gender\diversity lens to bring women to the table.
Need flexibility (+daycare) to allow more women to participate in settlement services
New Government strategy on family integration! Moving policy forward
Actions
Investigate funding channels
Connect with women newcomers: what do you need? What programs would be helpful?
Support NB immigrant women's association + similar initiatives
Seek to grow gender - analysis in settlement agencies + population growth: needs assessment to decipher how programs can be adapted or which new programs need to be developed.
Look at successful models from elsewhere in the country
Engage immigrant women in leadership positions + celebrate
Take away
Much overdue
Much to do
Where the heck are the men (decision makers)?
We’re pretty pissed
