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Veilig ThuisSituation: If you need advice or support in situations of domestic violence or child abuse. Contact: |
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Centrum Seksueel GeweldSituation: After an offline or online unwanted |
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Slachtofferhulp NederlandSituation: After you have become victim of |
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PolitieSituation: If you want to press charges. |
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ZanzuSituation: If you would like more Contact: |
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Zorgcafé Dokters van de WereldSituation: For health-related questions (also related to sexual or gender-based violence) or guidance through the Dutch healthcare system in your language and free of charge. |
In the event of immediate danger,CALL 112
19 Apr 2024
News
As part of our project activities, we conduct monitoring visits to the countries of origin of IOM the Netherlands beneficiaries. In January, we visited returnees in Suriname to assess their well-being after their return, discuss the cooperation between IOM Suriname and IOM The Netherlands, and learn more about the availability of services in Suriname for prospective returnees. One of the notable visits was to Simone* and her family.
Simone’s family owns a plot of land in a small town one hour from Paramaribo. Setting out to visit Simone, counsellor Elfrus from IOM Suriname joined us. Coincidentally, the street where we got dropped off carried the same name as the family that we were looking for. Later we learned that this is not a coincidence; the street was named after Simone's late father. She welcomed us to sit down in the shade with a cold juice and started to tell her story.
Simone in front of her (renovated) house.
Simone’s story begins in the Netherlands, where she initially went to pursue her education but did not complete her studies, leading to the revocation of her residence permit. She stayed in an irregular situation for a while, but Simone decided to return to her family in Suriname after her father's passing. She got in contact with IOM counsellor Tina in Amsterdam and together, they prepared her return. Since Simone suffers from health concerns requiring regular medication use, it was crucial to confirm the availability of her prescribed medication in Suriname. IOM Suriname conducted the necessary checks, revealing that her medication wasn't readily available, although alternative options existed. With this information, Simone consulted her doctor in the Netherlands, who assisted in identifying a suitable alternative accessible in Suriname. With this obstacle out of the way, Simone was ready to return home.
Now that she is back in ‘het thuisland’, as she calls it herself, she is happy with her decision to return. Upon her return to Suriname, counsellor Elfrus, assisted Simone in planning the utilization of her reintegration budget. With the reintegration grant she received, Simone renovated the house she shares with her mother, son and daughter, who are still attending school. Her sister lives next door with her family. She is very pleased with and grateful for the support she received from all IOM colleagues involved in her return.
While Simone was telling us her story, her little nephew joined us and made us feel like regular visitors, sitting in between our Chief of Misson and counsellor Elfrus.
Nowadays, Simone works for a call centre, providing services for the Dutch market, giving her a satisfactory income. This job also allows her to work from home and care for her own and her sister's children when needed. Initially, she worked for an energy provider's customer service but did not enjoy talking to Dutch people who complained about their high energy bills. Currently, she works for the customer service of a Dutch web shop, with a more positive work environment and good health insurance. Despite her relatively stable situation, Simone still entertains the idea of returning to the Netherlands someday.
To supplement the family income, Simone's mother produces cherry juice from fruit grown around the house, like the one they had offered us in the beginning. Simone’s mother showed us the trees in her garden, after which we said our goodbyes. Next time we call the customer service of a Dutch web shop, we will listen more closely, hoping to find out whether we are calling someone from Suriname, someone like Simone.
Our project assistant for health concerns Ari, sampling Simone's mother’s Surinamese cherry juice from cherries grown in the garden.
*not her real name
9 Apr 2024
News
Trigger warning: this text is about sexual and gender-based violence.
Cultural mediators work together with medical volunteers in the SAMEN project to offer the best possible support to migrants facing issues related to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). While cultural mediators share a migrant background with migrants, medical volunteers bring in the necessary medical expertise. Together as a team, they provide guidance for migrants who have experienced SGBV. The SAMEN team spoke to Helene, one of the medical volunteers working on the SAMEN project, to discuss her experiences.
From Vet to Doctor
“My name is Helene, and I work as a medical volunteer at Dokters van de Wereld in Amsterdam. My background is a bit unusual – I previously also worked as a veterinarian, including in Afghan refugee camps. This might sound strange, but people in refugee camps depend on their cattle to sustain their livelihoods. Besides, vets keep an eye on public health in the camps.
While working in the camps, women often approached me with their problems. For instance, they survived sexual violence and were not allowed to use contraceptives. The stories of widows also stuck with me, especially because of their difficult socioeconomic status in Afghan society and all issues deriving from this status. Noticing the potential for doctors to offer critical support for these women, I decided to study medicine.”
In the SAMEN project
“I often work from the Healthcare Café at Dokters van de Wereld: a low-threshold open consultancy hour where migrants and homeless people seek psychological or medical support. People who prefer not to go to a regular doctor or find it difficult to talk about their mental health can easily find us. We have time to listen to their experiences and make sure to guide them to suitable healthcare support in the Netherlands. To do so, we need to build a relationship of trust, which takes time. While time is scarce for many regular healthcare providers, cultural mediators and medical volunteers do have time on their hands.
At the Healthcare Café, people often approach me with questions about SGBV. For example, I sometimes talk to migrant women who have been abused during their journey by fellow migrants or smugglers. Some women I speak to came to the Netherlands under false pretenses. Upon arrival, they were locked up and sexually abused. We try to support them in the best way we can. Through the SAMEN project, I have gained better insight into where people with these kinds of experiences can go for support. This allows me to act sooner, for instance, to prevent a case of female genital mutilation.”
Culturally Sensitive Approach
“Cultural sensitivity is integral to our work. The medical volunteers and cultural mediators regularly participate in training and peer review sessions to ensure that we handle cases with cultural sensitivity. The presence of cultural mediators, who share backgrounds with patients, fosters comfort and understanding. Cultural mediators would also do well in other healthcare services, for instance, during consultancy hours and hospital intakes.
Furthermore, our team ensures to get to the core of the problem: what is it that the patients really want to discuss with us? What expectations do they have? And what is needed? Of course, we sometimes face challenges in getting to the issue’s core. For instance, speaking directly about one’s feelings or experiences is not always easy. Yesterday, a lady approached me for help with a wound on her leg, while the appointment allowed her to talk about another bad experience.
Then, there are different definitions to be aware of; what does someone see as abuse? Some visitors of the Healthcare Cafe are used to girls being married off at a young age, but in the Netherlands, this is considered an offence to their rights and lives. We open this conversation in the Healthcare Cafes.”
Communication and Collaboration
“Essentially, it all revolves around communication. We maintain regular contact with the women. We check in on how they are doing regularly and make sure that they know that we are here for them. But mostly: that their stories matter, that they matter.
The importance of collaboration is captured in the SAMEN project: there are many support organizations, but they do not always find each other. The wheel is then reinvented again and again. So, besides these women in need of support, organizations sometimes also struggle to find each other. The SAMEN project emphasizes collaboration among support organizations, preventing duplication of efforts and ensuring effective resource allocation. I like to see so many people being involved in relieving the pain of others. I am proud to be a part of SAMEN’s mission.”
4 Apr 2024
News
Retention and Atraction of Highly Skilled Talent in the Netherlands
As part of the Flagship "Migrant Integration and Talent Attraction" initiative of the European Commission, funded via the Technical Support Instrument (TSI), this project aims to support the Netherlands in improving the attraction and retention of highly skilled graduates from the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, both within the Dutch higher education system and from abroad.
The project runs from December 2023 to June 2025.
Context:
The Netherlands is currently experiencing a significant shortage of skilled professionals in STEM-related sectors, leading to a surge in unfilled vacancies. To tackle this challenge, the STEMTALENT4NL project identifies key areas for improvement, particularly in enhancing the "Orientation Year" residence permit scheme. This scheme provides a one-year stay for graduates from Dutch universities and highly skilled third-country nationals (TCNs) to seek employment or establish businesses in the country.
Project goals:
The project will enhance the Netherlands’ ability to attract and retain skilled migrants by:
- Improving its current orientation year permit system to facilitate admission for highly skilled third-country nationals
- Providing recommendations and lessons learned to aid in updating the talent attraction policies and therefore be in a better position to attract and retain highly skilled STEM graduates.
Project activities:
- A thorough review of the conditions of the Orientation Year residence permit scheme (known as ‘het verblijfsvergunning zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden’)
- A gap analysis to assess current talent attraction and retention mechanisms, identifying strategies to engage and retain young STEM professionals
- Organizing an International Study Visit to exchange knowledge and best practices around STEM talent attraction and retention mechanisms
- Developing an actionable plan for implementing these recommendations in both the short and long term.
Contact:
For more information or relevant queries, please reach out to Sandra Kluivers, Project Assistant at skluivers@iom.int.
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This project is funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument.
11 Mar 2024
Support to Refugees from Ukraine
Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands who want to return to Ukraine currently cannot be supported by IOM.
For return support to Ukraine, please contact the Dutch Repatriation and Departure Service (DT&V) via info@dtv.minvenj.nl.
Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands who want to migrate to another country outside the EU, where entry and long-term residence are guaranteed, can be supported by IOM. You can contact us via 088-7464466 or 070-3181500.
Refugees from Ukraine with a non-Ukrainian nationality (so-called third country nationals) who want to return from the Netherlands to their country of origin can receive support from IOM. You can contact us via 088-7464466 or 070-3181500.
IOM in the Netherlands Works:
To ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.
Call IOM :
+ 31 88 746 4466 (Voluntary Return) + 31 88 746 4444 (Family Reunifcation)
