On September 9, 2026, nearly 100 people gathered at the André Labarrère Media Library in Pau, France, for an afternoon dedicated to the journeys of migrant women, their experiences, and their place in society. Organized by Pistes Solidaires as part of the European EmpowerHer project, the event brought together migrant women, professionals, local stakeholders, and individuals committed to issues of migration, inclusion, and employability.
The afternoon began with a screening of the film *In the Shadow: Women on the Move*, introduced by Marie Ruiz, associate professor of British civilization at the University of Picardie Jules Verne and co-director of *Women on the Move*. Through the stories of migrant women, the film seeks to move beyond the often reductive representations associated with migration and to examine individual life stories in all their diversity.
The screening was followed by a roundtable discussion that placed women themselves at the center of the conversation. Several participants in the EmpowerHer project shared their experiences, journeys, challenges, and perspectives. Video portraits produced as part of the project also punctuated the discussions, allowing the audience to hear directly from migrant women and learn about their experiences.
These personal accounts were a key element of the event. These testimonies helped shift perspectives: migrant women are not merely people in need of assistance or support. They are also bearers of skills, experiences, knowledge, choices, and aspirations. Giving them a voice thus allows us to tell the stories of migration differently and to question the perceptions we may hold about their role and place in the host society.
The discussions also helped put these experiences into perspective with local realities, thanks to the participation of Patricia Barthes, deputy director of Isard Cos, a reception center for asylum seekers in Pau. Her presentation shed light on the conditions under which migrants are received and supported in Pau and the surrounding region, as well as on the challenges related to their autonomy and professional integration.
The discussion with the audience focused in particular on the language used to discuss migration and migrant women, as well as on the recognition and validation of skills, access to employment, and the obstacles that persist.
How can we recognize the skills acquired before, during, and after migration? How can we better take into account women’s life experiences and aspirations? How can we move from a support-oriented approach to true equal opportunity?
These questions demonstrate that empowerment and employability cannot be approached solely through tools or programs. They also depend on the recognition of skills, trust, and the opportunity for women to make their own voices heard.
A big thank you to the women who agreed to share their stories and experiences at this event. Their testimonies added an essential dimension to the discussions and helped make this event a space where migrant women could not only be heard but also take their rightful place in the conversation.
👉 Check out the profiles created as part of EmpowerHer on the project’s YouTube channel.