Aims

To identify and promote the skills of refugee women in London, to influence employers and policy makers and to highlight the potential contribution of refugee women to the labour market and to London's economy. The research focused on the teaching, nursing and medical professions as these have experienced crises of staffing. Particular attention was given to assessing numbers of qualified nurses, teachers and doctors and identifying the barriers they face in accessing employment in these professions.

Methodology

231 in-depth interviews with refugee women from all over London were carried out by refugee women who were selected by the Women's Refugee Association and trained in interviewing techniques. The aims of involving refugee women in this role were to empower them, to give them a sense of ownership of the project, to reflect on their own experiences, and to enable them to make their conclusions heard. The method proved successful because it immediately overcame barriers of trust, cultural understanding and language that often exist between interviewer and interviewee; further, interviewees were more likely to be open in such situations. The method was also an effective way of reaching informants, as the interviewers identified women amongst personal contacts and through word of mouth. An independent  researcher was contracted to draw up the questionnaire, oversee the collection of data and write up the final report.

Key findings

The research found that there are too few sources of specialist advice and information for refugee women in London to help them return to former careers. The lack of information on this issue and the ‘invisibility' of refugee women have resulted in the system failing to cater for their needs. Further, women do not have the same access to services and facilities as male refugees, who are in London in greater numbers and who generally have greater power within their communities. Participation in public life is considered more acceptable for men, and they can therefore access Refugee Community Organisations more effectively.

Conclusions

Refugee women share with all women difficulties in entering the labour market and many suffer lack of confidence in overcoming these barriers. Refugee women suffer additional discrimination as refugees, having to prove their professional aptitude, overcome language difficulties etc. The research confirms that women are highly motivated to continue working in the teaching, nursing and medical professions, as they have invested so much in training in their home countries. Failing to address this issue would be a waste of a valuable resource for London.

Recommendations

In order to ensure equality of access to the aforementioned professions, the report recommends several policy measures to relevant partners, including:

• urging the Home Secretary to give all asylum seekers the right to work. Further, permission to work for those awaiting decisions after six months should be extended beyond single ‘principal applicants' who tend to be male, such that women can participate equally in the labour market.

• through London-wide partnerships, mentoring schemes should be set up to help familiarise refugee women with working environments in London and enable them to access work experience;

• strategies should be created to provide flexible working times for women with childcare responsibilities;

• the respective professions should organise conferences to learn about the working culture, skills and training refugees bring with them such that the opportunities they present can be fully taken advantage of.