International Migrants Day – 18 December

Open Letter to Members of the European Parliament

Dear Member of the European Parliament,

We are a group of migrant women, with and without residence permits, from diverse countries and continents, organized in communities of care and struggle across Belgium, Spain, France, and Italy. Some of us are part of collectives, occupations, or unions, but we share the common experience of a migratory journey that has always challenged us.

On 17–18 May, we met in Brussels to take the first steps towards an Alliance against the European Migration Pact. We call ourselves F.O.R.T.E.S. — Femmes (féministes, organisées, résistantes, transfrontalières, exilées, sororées) — and our goal is to advance migrant women as a political subject.

On 18 December, we will demonstrate in front of institutions in Brussels, Madrid, and Naples to resist the invisibility imposed by administrative irregularity and the Europe of the Migration Pact, which reinforces its borders on our bodies. We are not a danger; we are in danger, and that is why we unite.

We invite you to show your commitment by standing with us and joining our sisters in Brussels, who will face the European institutions in representation of all of us, defying laws that prevent us from traveling freely.

We chose this date because 18 December is International Migrants Day, established by the United Nations in 2000, to raise awareness of migrants’ contributions to society and to promote respect for their human rights and dignity, regardless of legal status.

Our priorities and demands:

  1. Health: The most urgent issue for us, essential for a dignified life. Policies of borders and exploitation drain the energy of women who arrive in Europe. We demand accessible regularization based on clear criteria, as a fundamental condition for health and dignity. The right to health is a fundamental human right (UN and WHO), enshrined in Article 35 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. We call on all EU member states to uphold this right for everyone, regardless of legal status.
  2. Housing: The housing emergency disproportionately affects undocumented women, exposing them to violence and extreme vulnerability. We demand that the right to a legal address be guaranteed, as it is essential for accessing social and health services.
  3. Recognition of domestic and care work: Domestic and care work is fundamental but exhausting. States must provide social and welfare support, including training for care workers.

We oppose a Europe that re-arms itself, builds borders as lines between life and death, invests in global conflict, exploits, pollutes, and refuses to welcome those whose lives it makes unbearable. From today, Europe will face a united front of women, organized and powerful.

Let 18 December mark the first step of a united front against the rise of the far right, fascism, and patriarchal oppression — for a Europe that places care at the heart of its politics. We will meet European deputies and representatives one week in advance: join us on 9 December at Luxembourg Square at 12:30.

Signed:
La Candidate Sans-Papiers, Alliance of FORTES, Femmes Tout Terrain / Ministère du Care, Comité des femmes sans papiers, Collectif 8 mars, Territorio Doméstico, Comisión Antirracista 8M, Red Lavapiés, Rete Lavoratrici Domestiche

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