Refugee and immigrant women face a double disadvantage when settling in a new country in that they are both foreign-born and female. It takes longer for foreign-born women to become established on the Nordic labour market than foreign-born men. Women are also more vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, negative social control, and gender-based violence, which constitute a challenge for their participation in society.
The Nordic welfare states are faced with an ageing population, and rely on both men and women’s participation in the labour market. Diverse migrant backgrounds, education and competencies require varied as well as targeted strategies to ensure women’s full participation.
The aim of the conference is to present the latest research, discuss challenges, and identify solutions to increase women’s integration. What barriers do women from refugee and immigrant backgrounds encounter? What policy measures should be taken to ensure sustainable integration?
During the conference we will be presenting successful Nordic approaches to labour market integration, language training, and outreach to immigrant populations during the pandemic. We will also address how past experience and new strategies can benefit the integration of newly arrived refugees from Ukraine. We will hear the perspectives of both migrant women and from experts in different panels.
We warmly invite officials from national governments and regional and local authorities, and experts on integration, to join us at the conference. Together we will learn new knowledge, share experiences, and explore different policy measures.
The conference is arranged by the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion and the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Register HERE no later than 28 November 2022.
Please note that the number of participants is limited.
Languages
The conference will be held in the Scandinavian languages (Danish, Norwegian, and/or Swedish) and English.
The presentations in the plenary sessions and in one of the three parallel thematic sessions will be interpreted into Finnish, Icelandic, and English.
Venue
The venue for the conference is the Clarion Hotel Oslo in Bjørvika. The hotel is located close to the central railway station and the Oslo Opera House.
The address is Dronning Eufemias gate 15, 0191 Oslo, Norway.
Accessibility
The conference premises are fully accessible, being located on the ground floor. All stairs are equipped with ramps, and the elevators are big enough for wheelchairs. Hearing aids are also available, should you need it.
Price
The conference is free of charge.
Hotel and how to book
Clarion Hotel Oslo will give you a discount when booking a room – use the booking code: NORD2022. No rooms have been pre-booked; they are available on a first come, first served basis. Participants are responsible for booking and paying for their own accommodation.
Programme
Monday December 12
13:00 Plenary session I
Opening address: Nancy Herz, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion, Norway
Migrant women’s voices
Grace Achieng, Olga Biesha and Lama Kourdi share their experiences
Facts on migration and integration in the Nordics,
Ulla Agerskov, Project Manager, Statistics, Nordic Council of Ministers
Global migration trends and the Nordic countries
Karolis Žibas, Integration Officer, UNHCR Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries
Incorporating gender equality and inclusion of immigrant women in the North: towards gender-specific integration policy
Nafisa Yeasmin, Doctor of Social Sciences, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
15:00 Inspiration and coffee
Grab a coffee, mingle and get to know the following projects from the Nordic countries:
Språkkraft: Easy-to-use apps and digital tools to efficiently learn Swedish language.
Women in War: A series of documentaries with personal stories to understand how the war in Ukraine is affecting women
Projekt DAGS: Inspirationsfilmer på lätt svenska för att vägleda och underlätta övergångar till arbete och studier för utrikesfödda som står långt från arbetsmarknaden
Integrationnorden.org: A Nordic knowledge bank and platform with up-to-date information on integration of refugees and migrants
16:00 Thematic sessions – three options
All parallel sessions include short presentations of current evidence-based knowledge from the Nordic countries, and there will be time for group discussions.
1) Health literacy and outreach to migrant communities
How can public authorities communicate effectively with migrant communities in the Nordic countries? What barriers limit migrants’ and refugees’ access to healthcare? How can welfare institutions cater for different linguistic, cultural, and social experiences, norms and knowledge?
Health literacy and integration
Nadja Frederiksen, Senior Adviser, Public Health, Nordic Welfare Center
Learning from Covid-19: Strengthening Communication with Immigrant Communities
Emily Bech Cochran, Manager, Rambøll Management Consulting
2) Language training
How can language training for adult immigrants be structured and organised? What are the similiarites and difference among the Nordic countries?
Language, Job & Life – Women on the Move!
Michael Svendsen Pedersen, Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University
Language Training Services for Adult Immigrants in the Nordic Countries – A Comparative Study
Louise Fabricius, Senior Analyst, Oxford Research
3) Labour market integration of women with immigrant backgrounds (interpretation provided)
What barriers do women with refugee and immigrant backgrounds encounter in the labour market? What policy measures should be taken? What are the similarities and differences exists among the Nordic countries?
Combatting long-term unemployment among immigrant women
Nora Sánchez Gassen, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio
Long-term labour market integration of female refugees – what works?
Vilde Hernes, researcher, Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, OsloMet
More information about the thematic sessions
17:30 End of programme, Day 1
19:00 Conference dinner
Hotel Clarion
Tuesday December 13
9:00 Plenary session II
Review and follow-up from group discussions on Day 1
Expert panel discussion:
Justyna Bell, Senior Researcher, NOVA Norwegian Social Research, OsloMet, Norway
Ruth Montgomery-Andersen, Researcher, educator and cultural activist, Greenland
Nora Sánchez Gassen, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio
Nafisa Yeasmin, Project Manager, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland
11:15 Closing address
Nancy Herz, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion, Norway
Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister for nordisk samarbeid, Island
11:30 Closing lunch
