We are Migrant Women Press
Migrant Women Press is an independent media organisation focused on women’s experiences with migration. We are migrant women-led, written exclusively by migrant women.
We discuss migration through women’s lenses and investigate how the intersections of race, gender, class, nationality and disability impact women’s experiences in a new country.
Our mission is to amplify migrant women’s voices, reshaping migration narratives and bringing diversity into the media landscape.
We are changing the narratives about migration and bringing diverse voices to the media.
Migrant Women Press was created to redefine migration narratives. Although migration is a leading topic in newsrooms in Europe, the complexities of migrants’ experiences are overlooked and portrayed in a hostile, biased and stereotyped way.
There is a glaring absence of fair and compassionate discussions surrounding migration. Although the world’s population percentage of international migrants is 3.6%, and nearly 50% are migrant women (for the past 50-60 years), the experiences of migrant women were consistently overlooked and underrepresented.
Since we were created in 2020, we have published content of women from different ethnic backgrounds: Black, Asian, Arabic, White, Roma, mixed-race, age groups and nationalities. Our website has contributions from women from more than 20 countries. We translated some of our content into Portuguese and Italian.
We reported the main issues that impacted the world recently from migrant women’s perspectives. Our report on the pandemic revealed how organisations supporting migrant women struggled during that period. We interviewed three migrant women who worked on the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war. We explained the impact of the UK Nationality and Borders bill on migrant women.
Our series “The state of migrant women mental health” is a collaboration with the mental health manager at Refugee Women Connect, a charity in Liverpool and Saheliya, a specialist mental health organisation for minority ethnic and migrant women and girls in Scotland.
We collaborated with media organisations focused on migration in other countries, such as Guiti News in France, to raise awareness on the issues of female migration.
We need your support to amplify migrant women’s voices in the media.
The space we are creating for migrant women in the media is unique. With the help of people who understand our mission, we will change the media landscape and migrant women’s lives. Compensating our freelancers will enhance Migrant Women Press’s standing and solidify our reputation as a reliable source of high-quality journalism.
Donate and help us bring diverse voices to the media.
Who we are
Juliana da Penha - Founder Editor Juliana is a journalist from Brazil based in Scotland. She is the founder of Migrant Women Press. In Brazil, she was a reporter for nearly a decade and wrote about hip-hop culture and social movements. She has lived in Portugal, Cape Verde, Italy and the United Kingdom, working in the third sector, developing different projects with migrant communities, especially women. She has a degree in Cultural Studies and Communication from Lisbon University, a master’s degree in Human Rights and International Politics from Glasgow University and a NCTJ Diploma in Journalism.
Laura Ndanuko - Trainee Journalist Laura is from Kenya and has lived in the UK since 2018. She is passionate about amplifying voices, especially of migrant women, to raise awareness, bring solutions and create a positive impact. She studied Journalism in her home country and this opportunity at Migrant Women Press is helping her to develop her skills. Laura volunteers in various community projects in Glasgow, loves cooking and listening to music.
Laura Rodríguez-Davis - Literature Editor Laura is a writer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her work has been featured in Shared Future News, Heroica, and The Chritical. Laura is Puerto Rican and originally from Florida. She recently completed an M.Phil in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. When Laura is not writing, you can find her performing, reading, or watching Drag Race. You can connect with Laura on Instagram @laurarodriguezdavis and X (formerly Twitter) @LauraLRodrguez1
Méline Laffabry - Media Consultant Méline is a French journalist specializing in war and conflict journalism, and a media entrepreneur. She is also a trainer in journalist safety and constructive journalism and is particularly interested in social movements and conflicts, human rights, refugees, minority and indigenous rights, gender, and the intersection of these issues. With all these, she founded aidóni (www.adoni.org), an international community of journalists and agents of change working on social and armed conflicts.
Anabella Barnet - Creative Coordinator Anabella is from Venezuela, and has lived in the UK since 2014. She channels her design and creative skills to drive positive change in society. Anabella firmly believes in design's transformative power and focuses her creative efforts on addressing trauma and ACE's - Environment Protection, Empowering Communities, Enhancing Education and Supporting Migration. Through her creativity Anabella is dedicated to improving the world and making a lasting impact in these key areas.
Isadora Bueno Bastos - Copy Editor/Proofreader Isadora is a graduate in Theatre Studies and English Literature and a MSc in Translation Studies, both by the University of Glasgow. She left Brazil during her teenage years to study and is now based in Scotland permanently. She hopes to work with representation in text and in the performative arts to create opportunities for people and stories who belong to minoritised groups like herself.
Cristina Leahu - Social Media and Community Engagement Officer Cristina is a world citizen, originally from Moldova. She had her first migration experience at teenage. Cristina studied and formed in Bucharest and London, she lived and worked in over five countries and worked with more than fifty nationalities. As a Human Resources professional, dedicated to talent development, Cristina has been always sensitive to the migration phenomena and how this impacts women alongside, their evolution and thrive in life. Corporate facilitator of the Training Thriving in Migration, Cristina proactively is involved in collaboration with International organizations in order to ease and support the migration path in diaspora community.
Fereshte Zamen - Social Media and Community Engagement Officer Fereshte is a dynamic professional with a Bachelor's degree in Visual Communication from Soore University in Tehran, currently pursuing an MSc in Digital Marketing at the University of West of Scotland. With over five years of diverse experience encompassing roles such as digital creator, designer, and sales/marketing officer in Tehran, she has honed a comprehensive skill set and strong work ethic. Fereshte's academic journey has deepened her understanding of digital marketing methodologies, particularly in the Metaverse, while her management of her own website and social media platforms showcases her daily application of contemporary digital marketing practices. Eager to contribute her creativity and expertise to Migrant Women Press, she aligns with the organization's objectives and shares its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, looking forward to making a meaningful impact in the evolving landscape of digital marketing.
Advisory Board
Marcela Adamová is from Slovakia. She is a Policy Officer working for the European Commission, Non-discrimination and Roma Coordination Unit. She is responsible for the files concerning the implementation of the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion, participation, and Council Recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation. Before joining the European Commission, she gained expertise at the national and local levels. She is the founder of the first Roma NGO based in Glasgow (UK), Romano Lav (Roma Voice) and has a long experience working with anti-racism, equality, inclusion, and participation of Roma communities. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Community Development from the University of Glasgow and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Central European University in Budapest.
Sandra Ruiz Moriana is originally from Spain and lived in Ireland for 12 years as a migrant woman.She is a qualified professional active in diversity, gender equality and inclusion, specialising in migrant women and a Spanish Sign Language interpreter. Sandra is the Global Migration Media Academy (GMMA)project coordinator. She is also a PhD candidate in Gender Migration. Over her professional career, she has gained extensive experience coordinating different projects with migrant women from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, including victims of human trafficking and gender violence, refugees and asylum seekers women, migrant women seeking employment and political migrant participation in Ireland.
Nathália Urban is a Brazilian journalist and activist living in Scotland, working to promote the visibility of Latin Americans and human rights for migrants. Nathália has written for several publications and is currently an international correspondent of foreign politics for Brazil. She is also Numbrella Lane’s Coordinator of National Ugly Mug, a charity committed to supporting sex workers who have been victims of crime.
Lilia Tira is a Financial Services professional. Her career has spanned various prestigious organizations, including JP Morgan, HSBC and financial market infrastructures. Having worked in Paris, Brussels, and London with cross-regional responsibilities, Lilia has cultivated a global perspective and forged a comprehensive professional network. Lilia is deeply committed to fostering diversity and supporting women in their education and career advancement. She actively engages in mentoring young women in the financial services sector and volunteers her time with the Young Women’s Trust, with PAWA, the Pan Asian Women’s Association. Recognising the importance of community and collaboration, Lilia is an active member of several women’s networks within the financial services industry and is a Women of Fintech ambassador. Lilia is keen to leverage her experience in financial services to support thedevelopment of Migrant Women Press.