The Network Without Borders, in partnership with Casa do Brasil de Lisboa and SOLIDAR, hosted the event “Employability, Migration, and Gender: Challenges and Responses” on 6 July 2023, at the CML Archive Room in Lisbon. The event brought together a diverse group of professionals to discuss the employability of immigrants in Portugal and Europe from an intersectional gender perspective. SOLIDAR — an established European network of progressive civil society representing over 50 organisations across Europe and active in more than 40 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia — provided a crucial platform for addressing these urgent issues.
Freda Paranhos, from TransParadise, contributed a crucial perspective on the challenges faced by the trans community, highlighting prostitution as one of the few viable sources of livelihood for many trans individuals. She also addressed the urgent need for greater inclusion of trans people in the formal job market, emphasising the importance of vocational courses and access to higher education for this population.
The presence of such an influential organisation as SOLIDAR at this event underscores the urgency and importance of discussing and taking action on the inclusion of trans people in the job market and society at large. Collaboration among different organisations, experts, and activists is essential to create effective strategies that promote equality and combat the marginalisation of vulnerable communities. This event was an important step towards building a more inclusive and just society where barriers to employment and education for the trans community are effectively dismantled.