By failing to consider gender, migration policies or programmes may unintentionally exclude women or men, reinforce gender inequality, and/or put pressure on public services. These consequences have social and economic implications that the new parliament may need to consider.
About the author
Dr Jessica Doyle is a Senior Parliamentary Researcher in the Library and Research Service, specialising in social science.
A migrant is defined here in the broadest sense as any person who has moved across an international border to change his/her country of residence (regardless of residence status).
Gender: The socially constructed roles and behaviour associated with being male or female in society. Gender includes non-binary individuals, but the shortage of research in this area means this article focuses on women and men only.
Recent years have seen significant migration to Ireland. Figure 1 shows the number and gender of those entering the State over a 20-year period, from 2004 to 2024. Immigration has increased in recent years, although it is still lower than the peak in 2007 and since 2021, a slight majority of migrants have been women or girls. In the year leading up to April 2024, 149,200 people entered the State – around 52% were female and 48% were male.
Research shows that gender is a key factor shaping experiences and outcomes of migration. Gender can influence a person’s decision to migrate, access to resources, employment opportunities, exposure to risks, and ability to integrate into society. However, gender is often overlooked in migration policy and programmes.
This article outlines:
- Why gender matters in migration policy.
- How to integrate a gender perspective into migration policy.
- Key areas where Members can engage with this issue in the new parliament.
Why gender matters in migration policy
Figure 2 shows some ways that gender shapes experiences and outcomes for migrant women and men in Ireland. While this article focuses on gender, gender is only one influential factor. Other factors like ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, socio-economic status, and health are also significant.
How gender shapes experiences / outcomes of migration in Ireland.
Despite evidence showing that gender differences shape experiences and integration outcomes for migrants, there are many examples of where migration policies have not taken account of gender differences. This can lead to unintended consequences. For example:
- Direct provision centres: The design based on communal and often mixedgender accommodation has increased the risk of gender-based violence (GBV) and exploitation for women and girls. The 2023 Irish monitoring report for the Istanbul Convention raised this as a key issue.
- Asylum claims: Forms of persecution specific to women, like forced marriage and female genital mutilation, have historically been overlooked in asylum decisions.
- Training programmes: Vocational and language programmes for migrants have excluded women by not considering caring responsibilities and cultural norms around participation in mixed-group settings that affect women more.
Overlooking gender in migration policy or programmes risks creating policies and programmes that fail to meet the distinct needs of women and men. Due to existing gender inequalities and their reproductive roles, women are more often negatively affected by ‘gender-blind’ migration policies.
Integrating gender into migration policy
A method known as gender mainstreaming can guide policy to address gender impacts. This approach considers the unique needs of both men and women at each stage of the policymaking process. The policy process is understood as a multi-stage cycle. It includes defining, planning, implementing, and checking (monitoring and evaluating).
- Define: Collect data and research on how policy is likely to affect men and women – both women and men in general, and marginalised groups of women/men (for example, ethnic/racial minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals).
- Plan: Identify gender policy objectives and appropriate approaches, and interventions to achieve them.
- Act: Ensure that all involved in implementation understand relevant gender objectives.
- Check: Evaluate whether a policy is advancing gender equality and addressing gender concerns and objectives.
Gender mainstreaming recognises that women and men often have different needs, circumstances, and living conditions. Ireland’s National Strategy for Women and Girls (NSWG) promotes mainstreaming in policy development and assessment. Figure 3 shows how this approach can be applied to migration.
Integrating gender at each phase of migration policy
For more information: The European Institute of Gender Equality (EIGE) website provides step-by-step toolkits on the methods and tools for gender mainstreaming listed here, including gender budgeting, gender monitoring, and gender impact assessment.
Key areas for Members to engage with gender-sensitive migration policy
Table 1 summarises key ways to integrate gender-sensitive approaches in migration policy at both international and national levels. The potential actions or opportunities may be of interest to Members.
Research Matters
Research Matters, Key Issues for the 34th Dáil and 27th Seanad is a collection of articles about topics that Members will likely be grappling with over the coming years.
Compiled by expert researchers from the Parliamentary Research Service, each article identifies ways in which Members, as legislators and parliamentarians, can engage meaningfully with the issues outlined.
Further reading
Get more insight with further suggested reading from the Parliamentary Research Service: ‘Refugees in Ireland, the EU and Worldwide’ (December, 2023). This Note provides an overview of the legal and policy framework governing the treatment of refugees in Ireland and discusses, by way of a case study, the refugee crisis triggered by the armed conflict in Syria and the actions undertaken by Ireland in response thereto.