Women in Germany are still disadvantaged in many areas of society. This is also reflected in the labour market. Immigrant women may even experience multidimensional disadvantage: due to their gender and their migration background.
Traditional ideas often play a part, for instance concerning which professions are suitable for women and which tasks they should take on in the family – such as childcare and caring for the elderly. However, immigrant women are sometimes only confronted with certain role expectations once they arrive in Germany. They also often face the problem that certain integration services, such as language support, are hardly accessible to them. For example, they might either lack the necessary flexibility due to personal commitments or, as spouses, have only limited access to integration measures within the framework of family reunification.
Due to societal prejudices, the abilities and achievements of women with and without a migration background are often significantly underestimated. As a result, their potential on the labour market is not being realised. Gender-sensitive attitudes of migration and career advisors, HR professionals and employers can help to actively counteract prejudices and thus disadvantages and exclusions.
It is not only women who are disadvantaged because of their gender. Men, especially homosexual and transgender persons, also experience stereotyping and discrimination, which can make integration within the labour market difficult for them. Is it therefore also important to address the multiple disadvantages of homosexual and transgender immigrants in the field of gender, immigration and the labour market. They are confronted by specific challenges that need to be recognised so that they can be counteracted.
The following practical aids, specialist texts, counselling centres and services in Saxony-Anhalt address these aspects of gender-equitable interaction in working life. The handouts and contact points presented here are aimed both at counsellors in the fields of career guidance and counselling for immigrants, and at HR professionals and employers who recruit people with a migration background.
Thus far, there are few freely available handouts that include the three dimensions of gender, immigration and labour market. Therefore, you will also find publications that only deal with the dimensions of gender and labour market and are equally relevant for people with and without a migration background on this page.
- Overview on the topic of Gender, Migration and the Labour Market
- Practical aids
- Offers in Saxony-Anhalt: Counselling, guidance and training
- Further specialist information on Gender, Migration and the Labour Market