Empowering Migrant Voices on Integration and Inclusion Policies – EMVI

We believe that democracies work best with the full engagement of all therefore, the main aim of the project is to equip migrant communities both with the skills and with the participation structures to fully participate in the democratic process. As we understand integration as two-sided process, the project focuses on capacity building of migrants (with a focus on women) initiatives on political literacy and participation, as well as on capacity building of public local authorities offering them innovative tools for participation of migrants. This project aims at enabling and upscaling the participation of migrants in the design and implementation of policy areas that directly affect them – in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy and Slovenia – and to bring issues to local, national and EU decision makers. The project therefore will:

1. increase the participation of migrants, based on empowerment of migrants to become actors of inclusive policies,
2. increase capacity of local and regional authorities to effectively consult migrants and
3. establish innovative participation tools and open new spaces for migrant voices and structured ways of consultation.

The project brings together 12 multistakeholder partners from 5 countries, including 5 local authority partners: Municipality of Lustenau (AT), Municipality of Empoli (IT), Municipality of Berlin Mitte (DE), Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia (SI), Migrant Advisory Council of the City of Graz (AT), 3 migrant organisations: Kulturno Društvo Gmajna (SI), MoveGLOBAL e.V. (DE), ADYFE (AT) and 4 civil society organisations: Südwind (AT), Symbiosis (GR), COSPE (IT), Peace institute (SI). Three study visits to the partner cities and a final advocacy trip to Brussels including a Round Table in the European Parliament to share findings and advocate for demands are planned as well.

Website of the project