Project presented by Mouvement du Nid

Promoting the emancipation of migrant women in prostitution in Martinique (France)

Education and equal opportunities

The Terres Sainville neighborhood in Fort-de-France, Martinique, concentrates a large migrant population on very low incomes. These habitant∙es often survive in insalubrious housing, lack local services and shops, and have to deal with situations of violence and trafficking on a daily basis. Many women who have fled the povertý of the Caribbean islands prostitute themselves there to survive.

Mouvement du Nid Martinique has initiated a program for 30 migrant women who accumulate economic, administrative and psychological difficulties (physical, moral violence, trauma) and experience real educational deficiencies. The majoritý of them can neither read nor count and have no command of digital tools (making it difficult for them to access their rights).

The association has set up various activities to ensure that beneficiaries acquire the knowledge they need for emancipation and social integration. In addition to learning reading and arithmetic, and familiarizing them with digital tools, culinary workshops have also been organized. These complementary initiatives, integrated into a "multi-sensory approach", not only empowered the women, but also helped to change the public’s perception of them.

Use of the prize:

The association plans to extend its actions to other arrondissements, in order to reach a wider public. In particular, it is targeting the northern communes of the island, where many women in prostitution live in isolation, in particularly precarious conditions.