Because arriving takes courage: "I sacrificed my personal goals for my daughter"

On December 18, 2022, our documentary "Because arriving takes courage" will be released. In the film, the protagonist Nadia Miloudi tells how she gave up her dream of a career in IT for her daughter. As a mother with a migration background, she is not alone in this.

Balancing family and work is not easy in our society. Women in particular often adapt to the new family situation after the birth of a child, step out of the working world and devote themselves to unpaid child-rearing, care and housework: in 2020 only 20% of all mothers were employed full-time, while fathers are almost the same exclusively (German Youth Institute, 2022).

With a look through intersectional glasses, further discrepancies become clear when it comes to reconciling family and work – especially in families with a migration background. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education (2021) in 73% of the families without a migration history, both parents were employed, but only 51% of parents with a migration history. In 37% of all families with a history of migration, only the father was employed (see Figure 1).

Mixed-sex couples with two partners of working age with realized earning capacity (ie employed without persons on maternity and parental leave) and youngest child under 15 years of age. Database: microcesus – population in families/lifestyles at main residence. Source: Bpb, 2021

There are many reasons why migrant mothers in particular give up a career for their families. What initially seems like a private decision between two parents is often the result of structural problems. These include insufficient childcare, complicated procedures for the recognition of foreign diplomas (and thus access to the labor market in Germany), high demands on German language skills and a lack of further qualification offers for migrants and refugees who are already highly qualified. This is why migrant and refugee women have several low-paid jobs over generations, are clearly underrepresented in management positions and have to do a lot of unpaid care work.

It is not uncommon for such conditions to have negative effects on women's self-determination, financial dependency, self-confidence and language skills. But the double burden makes it impossible for many to get involved politically. As a result, they are patronized when it comes to policies that directly affect them, and these are formulated without their input.

The reconciliation of family and work must not be pushed to the sidelines of political debates.

We, DaMigra e. V., therefore call for an improved range of language courses as company training, the recognition and transferability of foreign professional and university degrees, suitable adaptation qualifications to German professional qualifications and the expansion of childcare options.

We also call on companies to make working conditions more humane and family-friendly. This includes flexible working hours, appropriate remuneration, but above all treating employees with dignity.

This post was created as part of the campaign for our film "Because arriving takes courage". In the documentary, three women with a history of migration report on their way into the German labor market and the hurdles they have to contend with. The film will be released on this website on Migrant Day, 18.12.22/XNUMX/XNUMX.