Breathing the Asylum System

Abstract

Establishing a life in an asylum country presents an exceptionally daunting challenge, particularly for women. In asylum countries, women encounter numerous hurdles like healthcare, language barriers, economic empowerment, childcare, education, cultural adjustment, legal issues, and more. This chapter comprehensively analyzes reception conditions and integration practices in the Portuguese asylum system from a gender perspective, covering seven critical areas: housing, financial support, healthcare, psychological assistance, education, labor market integration, and legal aid. Through 49 interviews (with asylum-seeking women and with professionals working in the Portuguese asylum system), this research unveils deficiencies in support, mainly due to the absence of gender-specific approaches. The chapter aims to promote gender-sensitive policies and practices to aid asylum-seeking women.