Bringing together members from across Europe, COFACE organised an online Migration Working Group meeting which explored how family organisations can strengthen the rights and participation of migrant, refugee and transnational families. Representatives from COFACE member organisations in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Greece and Spain came together for a working group meeting focused on migration, family life and the links between lived experience and policymaking. We also had many researchers joining the working group, from the Trafady network and beyond, in order to build bridges between lived experiences, research findings and policy change.
The meeting was opened by Antonia Torrens, COFACE President, who welcomed participants and set the stage for a day of exchange, reflection and collective action. She stated that “Our starting point is that every family should be able to access the conditions and support they need to live together, to care for their children, and to participate fully in society, – regardless of their background or migration status.”
Spotlight on COFACE members: Turning family experiences into change
The first session highlighted the work of COFACE members supporting migrant and refugee families, including binational and bicultural families, and promoting equal rights and opportunities for migrant and refugee children and their families. The session featured contributions from Dr. Zeynep Sezgin Radandt, Deputy Managing Director and Project Manager at BBT in Germany, and Elina Helmanen, Director of Familia Ry in Finland (part of the Vaestoliitto family federation). A central message from the discussion was the importance of multipliers, such as education systems, family support services and community organisations, in reaching families and strengthening their participation. Family organisations can also act as a bridge between communities and institutions, connecting lived experiences with structural change. However, the group also reflected on the challenging context in Finland and other EU countries namely the dehumanisation of migrants, defunding of certain NGOs working on migration, as well as increasing racism and discrimination. There were also discussions about multilingualism of families in migration, and the importance of changing the narrative to ensure that this is perceived positively and not as lack of integration (leading to many preconceptions).
Transnational families: looking beyond borders
The second session focused on transnational families and built on the COFACE working group meeting held in 2024, as well as the work of the TRAFADY project. Opening the discussion, Karlijn Haagsman, Assistant Professor at Maastricht University, took stock of the challenges facing families whose members live across different countries and to identify areas where COFACE members could take collective action. One important point was the need to look beyond a simple understanding of migration as an individual choice. Migration decisions can be shaped by employment conditions, social policies and economic pressures. In some cases, parents may feel they have little choice but to leave their children behind in order to secure work and provide for their families. This creates a profound paradox: parents may migrate precisely to improve their children’s lives, while being separated from them as a result. In some cases, living transnationally can be a choice. Participants also stressed that the concept of “family” itself varies significantly across cultures, and the need to consider families beyond the household unit and across borders. Recognising transnational families is an essential first step. The group also discussed the value of collecting and sharing personal stories to make the realities of transnational family life more visible. Such stories can help bring the human dimension of migration policy into public and political debates.
EU migration developments: what is changing?
The final session provided an update on key EU developments affecting migration and families, presented by Attila Böhm, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer at COFACE. The discussion covered developments including the EU Migration Pact, proposals concerning the Return Regulation, and changes related to social security coordination. These developments are particularly relevant to families because migration policies can directly affect family unity, access to social protection and the rights of children and parents living across borders. The session provided an opportunity for COFACE members and partners to connect the latest EU policy developments with the experiences shared throughout the meeting. This reinforced the importance of ensuring that the voices of families – particularly migrant, refugee and transnational families – are reflected in European policymaking.
