This year, immigration has been at the forefront of policy and news all over the globe. Although these decisions have life-altering impacts on millions of people, women bear disproportionate risks as refugees, immigrants, or displaced people. While traveling for safety or to access limited resources, women are at greater risk for sexual and gendered violence; victims of human trafficking in the United States are mostly immigrant women, and oftentimes, during family separations, the familial burden falls on women.
However, regardless of whether they are leaving their home country out of choice or necessity, women are not a burden. Immigrant women are more likely to own their own business than American-born women, are more likely to become naturalized citizens than immigrant men (and often drive the naturalization process), and have shown significant resilience to overcome adversity and create new lives for themselves and their families.
What can we learn from the stories of immigrant, refugee, and displaced women? What burdens do they share? And what are their successes?
In honor of Women's History month, join the Youth Forum Council for their final forum of the 2018-2019 school year, as we explore women's role in immigration and the unique challenges they face.