Women and Migration: The Challenges of Visibility

Half of the world’s migrants are women, including in France. Yet migration policies have long been designed by men for men, largely rendering women invisible in migration. This invisibility has delayed recognition of the dangers they face during their migration journeys.

The BNP Paribas Foundation, Synergies Migrations, the Institut Convergences Migrations, the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation, in partnership with Chaillot-Théâtre national de la danse, are joining forces to assess the situation and needs of migrant women, but above all, to contribute to making them more visible and to feminizing immigration, asylum, and integration policies. The conference also aims to highlight migrant women who are actively engaged in defending human rights and supporting migrants and refugees on a daily basis.

8:30–9:00 am: Welcome Coffee

9:00–9:30 am: Opening and Introduction

– Isabelle Giordano, Executive Director of the BNP Paribas Foundation – Corporate Philanthropy
– François Héran, Sociologist and Demographer, Professor at the Collège de France, President of the Institut Convergences Migrations
– Rachid Ouramdane, President and Director of Chaillot – Théâtre national de la danse
– Sophie Pouget, Executive Director of the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation
– Matthieu Tardis, Co-Director of Synergies Migrations

9:30–10:30 am: Feminizing Perspectives on Migration

– Hélène Bonvalot, Executive Director of the Primo Levi Centre
– Julien Boucher, Director-General of the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA)
– Fanélie Carrey-Conte, Secretary-General of La Cimade
– Ghada Hatem, Chief Medical Officer, Maison des Femmes de Saint-Denis
– Camille Schmoll, Geographer, Research Director at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Institut Convergences Migrations

10:30–11:00 am: Coffee Break

11:00–11:45 AM: Protecting Afghan Women

– Solène Chalvon-Fioriti, Senior Reporter and Filmmaker
– Neda Noraie-Kia, Head of European Migration Policies, Heinrich Böll Foundation
– Parasto Hakim, Activist for Girls’ and Women’s Right to Education in Afghanistan, Founder and Director of Srak
– Olivier Jacques, Minister-Counsellor (Migration), Embassy of Canada in France and Monaco

11:45 am – 12:30 pm: Migrant Women Taking Action

– Aïda Ghajar, Journalist at IranWire, Freedom House Award Laureate 2023
– Shayda Hessami, Founder and Director of Aide humanitaire et journalisme (AHJ)
– Bernadette Rwegera, Founder and Director of Ikambere

12:30–12:45 pm: Closing Remarks
– Marjane Satrapi, Author and Filmmaker

12:45–2:00 pm: Cocktail Reception