In June 2024, European citizens will vote to decide on the new composition of the European Parliament. The results of the elections will shape future European Union policies which will directly impact the lives of migrant women and girls residing in EU Member States. Not only do MEPs decide on new legislation, they also vote on trade agreements, scrutinise the EU institutions, have a say on budgetary allocations, and possess the mandate to launch investigations into specific issues. Following the elections, the European Parliament will vote to elect the new head of the European Commission and to approve the full team of commissioners. For migrant women in the EU, with and without voting rights, the European Parliament elections are a major democratic moment where stakes are high.

Can we tolerate the fact that one in three women in Europe is a victim of physical or sexual violence? Can we accept that women are still overwhelmingly under-represented in decision-making? That the most vulnerable are left behind by social and legal systems across the entire European Union? Should we accept as inevitable that the working poor - who are above all poor women workers - are abandoned to poverty and exploitation? Our answer to all these questions is no. On the contrary! We must demand justice, equality and dignity for everyone, all women and girls, without exception.

As we approach the 2024 European Union elections, the European Network of Migrant Women stands in its commitment to creating a just and fair Europe where migrant women and girls’ specific needs and challenges are recognised and addressed. This manifesto serves as a call for change to bring pressing issues affecting the rights, well-being, and opportunities of migrant women and girls at the forefront of policy and decision-making.