Media, Social Work and Solidarity: Empowering Migrant Women in the Urban Informal Economy

Abstract

This paper critically examines the lived experiences, vulnerabilities, and resilience of migrant women employed in the urban informal economy. These women are subjected to heavy load of injustices against them based on their gender, legal status and pennilessness. This exposes them to ill treatment and assaults. Despite these giant blocks, migrant women have proven their power in all locations and reassure each other and become a crowd. The other positive aspect that the article presents is the great persuasion of the media in conditioning the social view with regards to such workers. The media usually identifies these women as merely victimized, as heroes and threats which have direct influence on the law and opinion forming. The article suggests a new type of social work that is based on the principles of teamwork and human rights in order to effectively serve this population. This means to give up the notion of charity giving and be in the forefront a battle of equality in terms of rules with the laborers. Finally, the article suggests gigantic changes of the laws and urban planning to separate social assistance and immigration surveillance, equitably represent the law and construct friendly and equal cities.