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Paper short abstract:

Borders in West Africa and beyond are made, felt and constructed differently from an intersectional angle. This paper focuses on the effect of changing mobilities for female migrants before envisioning what a feminist future of migration policy would look like.

Paper long abstract:

Movement beyond West Africa to the Northern shores of the continent and beyond is increasingly penalized. This is starting to have an effect on movement within the region of free movement. Moreover, borders are made, felt and constructed differently from an intersectional angle. This paper focuses on the effect of changing mobilities for female migrants before envisioning what a feminist response to mobilities would look like. Here we discuss three elements: first, movement as a space of recognition, i.e. a space where basic labour rights are regulated or where the creativity and contribution to community development by migrants is recognised. In terms of policy, this calls for the recognition of all types of migrants and regulation that supports them. Second, movement as a space of change, agency and contestation: i.e. exploring how migration can lead to changing gender norms and questioning of patriarchy, and in terms of policy creating safe(r) spaces for activism and exchange. Third, a feminist migration policy would see migration as a space of conceptual expansion of how movement is understood. This includes for example expanding on the meaning of remittances or how intersectional approaches allow us to redefine how we consider migrant experiences. In terms of policy, this would mean making room for bottom-up policy developments. Central to such a feminist migration policy is the transformative nature of the agenda that goes beyond just the mere inclusion and participation of women or “gender issues”. The thought-experiment speaks to another African future of mobilities.