Soroptimist International is proud to announce a new Where We Stand Position Paper on Refugees and Migration. These position papers serve as a vital resource in shaping and strengthening our global advocacy, clearly outlining our stance on the critical issues facing women and girls. They provide a framework for action, inform our engagement at international forums, and reflect our commitment to influencing policies that uphold human rights and advance gender equality.
With millions of women and girls forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution, environmental degradation, and systemic inequality, the realities of migration are increasingly complex—and gendered. Our new position paper offers a comprehensive overview of the causes and consequences of forced displacement, the specific vulnerabilities faced by migrant and refugee women and girls, and the urgent need for rights-based, gender-responsive policies and protections.
Refugees and Migration: A Gendered Crisis
Women and girls make up nearly half of all forcibly displaced people globally, facing heightened risks including gender-based violence, trafficking, child marriage, and exploitation. These vulnerabilities are compounded by discriminatory laws, limited access to healthcare and education, and barriers to decent work. Our paper emphasises the importance of recognising these challenges not only as humanitarian issues, but as violations of human rights that demand coordinated international action.
The position paper calls on UN Member States and stakeholders to uphold their obligations under international law, implement the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), and ensure that gender-based persecution is recognised as grounds for asylum. It advocates for legal and policy reforms that promote dignity, inclusion, and justice for all refugee and migrant women and girls—especially in host countries and along migration routes where protections are often weakest.
A Shared Responsibility
Soroptimist International stands in solidarity with all displaced women and girls. We believe that through education, empowerment, and access to essential services, they can reclaim agency and build a future rooted in safety and opportunity. Our position paper underscores the need for survivor-centred approaches, data-driven policymaking, and the full participation of refugee and migrant women and girls in shaping solutions that affect their lives.
We invite you to read the full position paper and join us in advocating for a more compassionate, coordinated, and gender-just approach to migration.