The problem

Immigrant communities face many well-documented problems integrating into their host societies. Women and the aged also face specific problems. As immigrant women grow older, they confront a unique combination of challenges which are currently neither adequately researched or catered for. Difficulties in integration and inequalities stem from issues and attitudes within both the immigrant population and the national host population. There is a need to examine both sides of this interaction, to help policy-makers promote better integration and equality at all stages of life.

Overview:

FEMAGE will investigate the situation of women immigrants in the EU, with particular attention to the issues of economic and social integration and ageing.

The project will:

• Perform questionnaire surveys among the immigrant women and host nationals of eight Member States
• Investigate the obstacles and opportunities immigrant women experience, and the requirements to promote better integration with the population of their host countries
• Create a platform for policy discussions among key stakeholders, and produce policy recommendations to promote integration in the context of an ageing population

Contribution to policy development:

• Specific policy recommendations based on the FEMAGE research findings
• Policy-related deliberations of the focus groups
• Indirect contributions to policy development by providing new data on female immigrants
• Contributions to creating a critical mass of stakeholders necessary to suggest and promote improved policies

Project deliverables

• International database on viewpoints of nationals – September 2006
• Results of the questionnaire surveys of female immigrants – July 2007
• Comparative analysis of viewpoints of nationals and female immigrants – September 2007
• Results of nine focus groups of key stakeholders – December 2008
• Final report on policy implications and recommendations – December 2008

Dissemination

• Project website – from July 2006
• Three press releases, five ‘rapid reports’ and nine topical research reports – as necessary
• Policy recommendations report - December 2007
• Final project report - February 2008
• International database archived in a publicly accessible social science data archive – June 2008
• Publication of articles in professional journals and monographs - submission by June 2008

Technical information

Project acronym: FEMAGE
Project’s official full title: Needs for female immigrants and their integration in ageing societies
Research priority: Supporting policies and anticipating scientific and technological needs
CORDIS ref: http://cordis.europa.eu/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=proj.simpledocumentlucene&HD_ID=8820163&CFID=2480947&CFTOKEN=50864788
Specific webpage: http://www.bib-demographie.de/femage/
Proposal/contract no: 022355
Start date: 1 June 2006
Kick off meeting: June 2006
Completion date: June 2008
European Commission scientific officer: Carl Dolan, carl-francis@ec.europa.eu

Coordinator:
Name: Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung
Abbreviated name: BiB
Address: Postfach 5528, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 4, 65180 Wiesbaden
Country: Germany
Tel: + 49 (0)611 75 2235
Fax: +49 (0)611 75 3960
Website: http://www.bib-demographie.de/

Partners

Name: Demographic Research Institute
Abbreviated name: DRI
Country: Hungary

Name: Population and Social Policy Consultants
Abbreviated name: PSPC
Country: Belgium

Name: International Organisation for Migration, Central European Forum for Migration Research
Abbreviated name: CEFMR
Country: Poland

Name: Scientific Research Department of Sociology, School of Social Studies
Abbreviated name: SSS MU
Country: Czech Republic

Name: Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Abbreviated name: SRC SASA
Country: Slovenia

Name: Vienna Institute of Demography (VID), Austrian Academy of Sciences
Abbreviated name: VID-OAW. ID
Country: Austria

Name: Population Research Institute
Abbreviated name: PRI
Country: Finland

Name: Estonian Interuniversity Population Research Centre
Abbreviated name: EKDK
Country: Estonia