Women, like men, migrate due to different reasons like poverty, war, hunger or the dream of gaining illusive freedoms that are depicted by the west. But, once they reach their target country, they face myriads of problems.

According to official statistics, 44% of migrating women in the EU nations are employed in illegal jobs while 19% of these women are jobless. Many of these women are suffering from low income and very tough conditions at workplaces. They are also threatened by racist policies and behaviors.

Some people usually migrate because of unfavorable conditions such as poverty, disease, political issues, food scarcity, natural calamities, war, joblessness, and lack of security. Some others migrate in pursuit of what they imagine as higher education, better health conditions, higher income, luxurious house and political freedoms. According to the UN, more than 232 million people do not live in their motherland. Meanwhile, women comprise a big number of these migrants.

Most migrants' dream is attaining a normal life with comfort and security based on international rules of human rights; but for most of them, especially women, this never materializes. Some of these women go to the west with no husband; but there they face a very vague and bleak future in which they have to strive for provision of their life while shouldering the responsibility of their children alone. Most of these poor women do not enjoy protection and security in the west. The story of migrating women is very painful. They are often victimized due to their colour of skin, religion, language, and so on. They are the victims of racial humiliation and sexual abuse.

Now let us listen to the comments of the expert of the program, Ms. Elham Akhundan, "Women, especially those who migrate to West Europe, are of great significance and have a great impact on the policies of migration in these nations. But the migration of women, as one of the main pillars of family, is an important issue of the day, per se. At first, I have to point out that the European nations are suffering from economic recession, and more important is that they are facing childbirth decline. Therefore, the arrival of migrating women in this countries is highly important. When we look at the news on sexual harassments in the west, we notice that most of the victims are migrants, especially Muslims. Norwegians believe that migrants, due to coming from what they imagine as male-dominant nations, should become familiar with the free Europe in which women wear loose clothes and drink alcohol. Thus, they want to impose the western culture and immorality on women."

 Since legal migration has its special intricacies, sometimes people pursue illegal migration. This often causes them, especially women, to be trapped by human traffickers. According to the report of International Labor Organization, trafficking of women in the target countries amounts to $32 billion annually half of which is related to the West Europe.

More than half a million young women and girls are trafficked to West Europe annually, 60% of which are from South Asia and East Europe. The condition of the women trafficked to the United States is not at all better. In this country, the trafficked women and girls face the violence and savagery of men. The US government, as the main mendacious claimant of human rights, confessed in 2017 to the annual trafficking of over 100,000 women and girls from the former Soviet Republics, 75,000 from East Europe, and 50,000 from Africa. These figures have certainly increased manifold. The number of the people trafficked from Latin America and the Caribbean, also, amounts to over 100,000 per year. Most of these victims succumb to contagious diseases such as AIDS or consumption of narcotics.

According to the statistics of Office of Migration and Refugees in Germany (BAMF), while the number of female asylum-seekers has been on the rise, it is difficult for them to find a safe haven, opportunities for education and social activities. Jessica Mosbahi of Medica Mondiale, an organization working on women's rights and aid, said to Deutsche Welle, "Many of these women are constantly exposed to sexual violence by other refugees or employees at camps."

She described such camps and settlements as "illegal" areas out of police's eye. Women cannot report sexual violence in such circumstances because they are fearful of their refuge plea being ignored. According to a group of supporting women's rights, in some women at the refugee camps in Germany are sold for 10 Euros.

Violence, humiliating conduct and beating are rampant in West European countries against migrants. This is more intense against Muslim migrants. Generally speaking, Muslim migrants, especially women, are under direct and indirect pressures due to persistence in religious beliefs. These pressures have increased manifold and become much more intricate after the US self-designed and orchestrated events of September 11, 2001. What set the ground for murdering Marwa al-Sherbini at a court in the German city of Dresden was one of the results of such Islamophobic sentiments.

Sherbini was an Egyptian lady who had complained against Alex Wiens German man who had called her a terrorist and a Muslim prostitute. During the appeal hearing, the Alex assaulted Sherbini and stabbed her 18 times before the eyes of the judge and the attendees. Even the police present at the court didn’t show any reaction so that the three-month pregnant lady succumbed to her wounds. The bestial murderer injured her husband and another man, too, as they tried to prevent him. What shocked and petrified the civilized world is that German magazine Focus disclosed that the 28- year-old criminal had informed the court of his devilish decision in advance!!!

For sure, one of the main causes of such tragedies in the western countries is the presentation of a negative and violent image of Islam in the media. That's why hijab, as the symbol of a Muslim lady and the banner of Islam, has turned into a taboo in the eyes of the bullying powers and has faced Muslim ladies with a plethora of problems.

RM/SS