Last January 26, Population Europe, leader of the work on dissemination within Families and Societies, organised in Brussels a seminar under the name “Multiple pathways towards integration: The diversity of immigrant families in Europe”. This event included speakers from both academic and policy worlds, which allowed for interesting discussions and exchange of perspectives.
AGE helped organise this seminar, notably by contacting European Commission Policy Officers as well as by suggesting speakers for the panel debate.
The seminar raised several important issues, such as the role of education in fighting discrimination and inequalities among migrants. Héctor Cebolla Boado, from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), explained that, while education remains essential, the family context and other socio-economic factors are the determinant ones when it comes to explaining the diverging outcomes of children with and without migrant background. Valentina Mazzucato, from Maastricht University, presented very interesting research findings that underline the factors that influence child well-being within transnational families – i.e. those in which some members, normally the parents, live in Europe and the others stay in the country of origin. She showed how strongly national policies impact migrants living and working in Europe, and how these impacts affect also the members of the family who stayed in the country of origin, who largely depend on the income of those who emigrated. She underlined that children staying in their countries without their parents can still have good health outcomes if grandparents fully assume the caring responsibilities.
Speakers at the panel discussion showed their scepticism on the willingness of European countries to change the current framing of immigration to allow for more policies favouring the integration and well-being of migrants, policies that, as said by professor Mazzucato, can also improve the situation of those who stay in the countries of origin.
A Policy Brief will be elaborated on the basis of the discussions held during the seminar. We also invite you to read the 2008 AGE position paper on older migrants, as well as the 2012 Joint AGE-ENAR (European Network Against Racism) position paper on older ethnic minorities and migrants.
For more information, please contact Borja Arrue Astrain, AGE Project Officer,borja.arrue@age-platform.eu
