Migrant Women Reclaim The Narrative.
In a media landscape that often speaks for us, we are shifting how migration is covered—moving from subjects of the story to its authors. Check our monthly highlights!
Welcome to this month's Migrant Women Press newsletter!
Migrant Women Press is an independent media organisation that amplifies the voices of migrant and racialised women through journalism and storytelling 👩🏾💻
💌 This monthly newsletter includes MWP updates, a curated selection of stories, a spotlight, opportunities, events, resources, and more!
Hello everyone, happy April!
My name is Isabella Lapadula, and I am a journalist with Migrant Women Press. I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, but I have lived in Edinburgh since 2021.
In the past few months, the political climate for migrants everywhere seems increasingly bleak. As narratives become hijacked by people and ideologies that are fundamentally against us as migrant women, carving out space to raise our voices is crucial. Now, more than ever, our work at Migrant Women Press has become even more salient.
From our recent coverage, I thoroughly enjoyed our article for International Women’s Day, as well as the feature on Milk, a cafe and community space for migrant and refugee women in Glasgow. Reading about the incredible women who inspire other incredible women, as well as the success of spaces for community building is a necessary reminder that we are always stronger together.
As an early career journalist, I am eternally grateful for the space Migrant Women Press has offered me. I hope that we can continue giving space and voice to our stories!
Thanks for reading!
Isabella
🗣 MWP updates
We’re excited to be part of the Social Enterprise Challenge: Grant to Growth Transition Plan—a dynamic collaboration with Glasgow Social Enterprise Network, Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network, the University of Glasgow, and Queen Margaret University. Over the last four weeks, we have worked alongside university students and academic mentors to co-develop a financially sustainable roadmap for Migrant Women Press.
✍🏾 MWP Featured Articles
We conclude March with these insightful articles:
Beyond Protection: Why Migration Justice for Women is a Fundamental Human Right
✍🏾 Roula Seghaier
As the world marks 30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action, we partnered with Women in Migration Network to highlight a timely report they launched examining the state of women in migration and calling for migration to be placed at the heart of the global gender equality agenda.
The Depersonalisation of African Migrant Women’s Stories: Exploring Pathways for Accelerating Action
✍🏾 Chimee Adịọha & Amaka Obioji
On this International Women’s Day, we collaborated with Diaspora Africa to highlight the experiences of African migrant women and the urgent need to continually retell their stories.
Who Inspires You? A Homage to Women Who Make a Difference
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrated the women who shape our world—the mentors, activists, leaders, family members, and unsung heroes whose stories inspire change. Read our collective tribute, a feature highlighting the incredible women who redefine possibilities.
🗞 Deep dive into our curated selection of the latest news on migration, gender, and race 🗞
The Guardian: Women seeking asylum in UK allege sexual abuse in mixed-sex hotels
An Observer investigation has uncovered multiple allegations of sexual abuse and harassment against women and girls housed in mixed-sex asylum hotels across the UK. Survivors include a 14-year-old allegedly raped after being placed next to single men, a trafficked woman re-traumatised in unsafe housing, and others reporting abuse by staff. Advocates stress that protection must not depend on immigration status.
Outlier Media: A woman reported a crime. Detroit Police reported her to immigration
In a troubling breach of trust, a woman who reported a crime in Detroit was later reported to federal immigration authorities by a police officer—despite departmental policy explicitly prohibiting such actions. Advocates and local officials say the incident threatens public safety and trust, especially within immigrant communities.
From daycares to hospitals, classrooms to boardrooms, migrant women are bridging labour gaps and redefining what’s possible across Finland. The stories of Cecilia, Aziza, and Shielou Ann—three inspiring women from Ghana, Afghanistan, and the Philippines—show resilience, leadership, and the power of community.
✨ Spotlight✨
Colombian photojournalist Federico Rios has been named a 2025 World Press Photo winner in the Long-Term Project category for his work, Paths of Desperate Hope.
The project documents the perilous journeys of migrants traversing the Darién Gap, a 100-kilometer-long stretch of dense jungle connecting Colombia and Panama. Over a million people have braved this route since 2021 - Afghans escaping Taliban rule, Venezuelans seeking refuge from economic collapse, Chinese fleeing authoritarianism, and many others – driven by the pursuit of a better life.
📣 Opportunities, events and more…
👩🏾💻 Jobs
💌 Looking for a New Challenge? Become the Newsletter Editor at Migrant Women Press (Volunteer · Remote · Flexible · ~20 hrs/month)
Migrant Women Press is looking for a creative, curious, and committed Newsletter Editor to take the lead on our weekly and monthly email updates. You’ll craft compelling content that keeps our readers engaged, informed, and connected to a global community of migrant and racialised women. Send your CV and a one-page cover letter to editorial@migrantwomenpress.com
🗓 Deadline: 15th May. More info here
🎤 Hear Me Out helps people inside immigration detention centres express their humanity through music, and they are looking for a Communications Manager for a temporary (9-month) contract for 2 ½ days’ work a week. Deadline: 14th April
📣 Call For Pitches
Are We Europe x MigraVoice is looking for underreported stories with European relevance on the intersections of gender, climate, technology, migration and identity. Journalists will be compensated €250-400, depending on length and format. Deadline: 25th April
👉🏿 Opportunities
The Migrant Voice Media Ambassadors Training Programme is an intensive media training organised by Migrant Voice in collaboration with local Scottish journalists, helping you to develop a deeper understanding of the Scottish journalism sector, identify stories in your community, pitch stories to the media and get them in the news outlets. The programme starts on 29th April. Apply by 17th April
📆 Events
The independent Garden Cinema will host a special screening of Karuara – People of the River, a powerful animated feature created by artists from an Indigenous community in Peru, followed by a Q&A with Emilsen Flores, Kukama leader, and Gabriel Salazar from Foro Solidaridad Perú. When: 12 April, 20:00. 🔗 More info here.
🗣Call for research participants!
Kezia Pugh is a PhD candidate researching community-led responses and resistance to the labour exploitation of migrant care workers. If you or someone you know is involved in a community group, campaign, or organisation working in this area, Kezia would love to speak to you about your work! Please get in touch with k.pugh4@uni.brighton.ac.uk and see the Participant Information Sheet for more info.
🎧🎞📚MWP Selection
📚 Have a look through Project Esperanza Anti-Racism Reading list with recommendations of fiction and non-fiction books to support your anti-racism learning journey!
🙌🏾 The Scottish Refugee Council has compiled a list of 16 organisations offering essential services and support for refugee and asylum-seeking women across Scotland.
❗️ Women for Refugee Women's new report urges the UK government to end immigration detention for survivors of gender-based violence.
✨ This month's quote✨
Support a migrant women-led independent media. Help Migrant Women Press amplify migrant women's voices and redefine migration narratives in the media.
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