WIDE+ member GADIP published its gadip_rapport_20170201 from the conference that was held 21-22 October, 2016, in Gothenburg, Sweden. Approximately 70 participants, from academia and various non-governmental organizations participated. GADIP was established to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences between researchers and practitioners.
The main focus of the conference was the ongoing ‘refugee crisis’ in Europe. The dangerous route crossing the Mediterranean Sea, the EU’s response to the arrival of refugees, the experiences of female refugees, the reception procedures of Sweden and other EU countries, the ‘hotspots’ approach to refugee reception, integration of migrants and refugees, and how migration and refugee reception is perceived were some of the topics addressed in the conference’s presentations and workshops.
A continued reluctance to receive refugees, it was argued, is discernible in many EU member states, as is the rise of right-wing xenophobic political groups that encourage suspicion and objection toward the reception of refugees.
The conference presented various actions for managing, remedying and improving the current situation; for example by establishing communities where migrant women meet each other and locals and together discuss issues and help each other.