“Women and international migration: what perspectives for women’s rights? »
This is the main theme of this exchange organized by CEIDES (African center for international, economic and strategic diplomatic studies) at the Djeuga palace in Yaoundé on Wednesday March 26, 2024. Exchanges which saw the participation of the ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Cameroon HE Ignacio Garcia Lumbreras, a privileged witness to this migration phenomenon. After the introductory remarks by the president of CEIDES Dr Christian POUT, four presentations allowed the audience to tour the different axes. The first "Gender and determinants of international migration" by Ms. Morelle Manuela SA'A NGOUANA, internationalist researcher associated with CEIDES, the second "Climate change, migration, immigration and women security" by Ms. Prudence NOUTCHA, associated researcher at CEIDES, the third “what legal frameworks and international mechanisms for the protection of migrant women and girls” by Maurice Rabier Charles Quentin of the IOM and finally the last “Female migration and socio-economic dynamics of countries of origin and host countries” by Dr Thérèse Azeng economist, senior associate researcher at CEIDES and teacher at the University of Bertoua. A question-and-answer phase brought this day of discussions to an end.
It must be said, it is a tradition at CEIDES because already in March 2021, we organized a workshop on the theme “feminism and international relations: theories and practices”, in March 2022 the theme was “women and conflicts: are they on the side of peace", then in 2023 it was "gender equality in international relations". As mentioned by the president of CEIDES Dr Christian POUT, freedom of movement is an urgent and fundamental right . To end his opening remarks, he took up the 2018 noble prize which said: women are the future of humanity.
Reactions
Dr Thérèse Azeng CEIDES associate researcher, lecturer at the University of Bertoua
« Communication on migration is essential for two reasons, as global data clearly proves. Almost half of migrants are women, 48% of international migrants are female. As such, gender specificity is important in the dynamics linked to migration. The second aspect is linked to the consequences of migration for women and also for the society in which they live. So the international center thought in this year 2024 that it was essential to highlight this question of migration because it is important in the international agenda and we hear it in most industrialized countries, the The debate on migration is essential in political discourse and for electoral issues. Thanks to the work of this day, we were able to list four main groups of factors which motivate the decision to migrate. These factors are economic, social, political and environmental. The search for better living and working conditions, social acceptance and the avoidance of norms in certain contexts which lead to the search for a better family environment. There are also causes linked to family reunification, political pressure or seeking better self-affirmation. And finally, today's presentation which was essential to demonstrate the role that climate change has now considered as the main cause in Africa (the heat wave or natural disasters) ».
SE Ignacio Garcia Lumbreras, ambassador of the kingdom of Spain to Cameroon
« I think it's a double contribution because Spain has long been a country of immigration and part of it occurred in Africa. Now my country receives migrants and the first migrant community in Spain is Moroccan, well integrated and making a decisive contribution to economic and social growth. We are a country very close to Africa and we know how to manage flows in both directions, such as immigration in the past and migrants in both directions now. You know the 2018 pact on migration, despite its non-binding nature, is an instrument which, in the years to come, will establish itself as a normative framework on migration which binds all states. And this instrument makes specific reference to the needs of women, girls and children. I think what is needed is to pool efforts because no country can face the migration problem alone because it is a global problem to which a global solution must be provided.».
Clément Noumsi
Comments