KISA in collaboration with NICEM (Northern Ireland- http://nicem.org.uk/ ), Citizens for Europe (Germany- http://citizensforeurope.org/ ), Association for Integration and Migration (Czech Republic- http://www.migrace.com/ ), Radio Afrika TV (Austria- http://www.radioafrika.net/ ) and the European Commission have been awarded the “Integro” project.
“Integro” combines the 11 Common Basic Principles of the E.U. for migrant integration, and the integration principles of the ENAR: “Working on Integration at local level” http://enar-eu.org/Reports .
The project deals with the Integration of third-country Nationals in the Republic of Cyprus and specifically, as the part of the second phase of the project, the pilot project and its implementation within May 2015 consists of the constitution of an Organization between migrant women who are particularly vulnerable. Its main objective is to bring these people together in order to create a self-representation and consequently, a self-organization of migrant women.
It aims to promote, in an interactive way, local, national and transnational cooperation amongst all relevant stakeholders, including migrant communities, receiving communities and local, regional or national authorities, NGOs and the media in supporting effective and sustainable integration of third country migrants, based on the respect of human rights and cultural diversity, equality and non-discrimination and participation of migrants and receiving communities in their integration process, through exchange of expertise, knowledge, information and good practice.
The local action to enhance migrants’ economic, social, cultural and political participation is to:
1.1 Promote effective cooperation between national, regional and local authorities and other stakeholders to support and promote integration.
1.2 Promote the engagement of the receiving communities in interacting with migrants, based on the mutual respect of their rights, obligations and different cultures.
1.3 Remove obstacles to migrants’ political participation and increase their involvement in the formulation and implementation of integration policies
The importance and necessity of such a project in Cyprus especially, derives from factors such as:
- The lack of transparency in taking national directives regarding migrants and, at the same time, an absence of support on public services grounds.
- When talking about “Integration” the legislative aspects have to be taken into account more than all others, since in Cyprus there was never a real application of the EU Directives and policies into national law concerning the aforementioned topic.
- There is also a need of communication/information to the migrant women about their rights and benefits which they are eligible to receive.
The suggestions/aims made which will be implemented in the Pilot project and to its mediators to its final phase from December 2014-May 2015, are primarily:
- Creating a process which will depend on the feedbacks by different communities,
- A self-organisation for migrant women, in general, and a women association platform in the future,
- A forum for domestic workers.
KISA, taking into account the realities in Cyprus, the groups of migrant integration concerns (domestic workers, workers in the agricultural/farming industry, employees of offshore companies, students, refugees and members of families of EU/Cypriot citizens) and their specific needs, as well as the complete absence of any projects and actions in Cyprus to promote migrants’ active participation in the integration process, proposes that the pilot project should:
- Set structures for the self-representation of migrants – especially migrant women, their empowerment and self-organisation, in order to create a sustainable and empowering migrant community.
- Support migrants in becoming aware of and claiming their rights, with special emphasis on fighting to stop labour exploitation and improving their working and living conditions.
- Raise awareness about and fight to stop violence against migrants, especially migrant women.
- Raise awareness on the particular vulnerability of migrants (especially in the context of the economic crisis) and particularly of migrant women and the need to fight against it.
For more information visit the projects-website
