The "voice of the migrant woman must be heard" in European Union (EU) policy making, it has been suggested.

According to Leila Kurki of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), it is important that equality forms part of mainstream planning.

In particular, she said: "Equality between women and men is not an end in itself. It is a prerequisite for meeting the EU's aims for growth, employment and social cohesion."

Ms Kurki, who is the president of the EESC's Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, wants to see the trading bloc adopt an instrument specifically reflecting domestic work in order to assist female employees in this field.

She was speaking at the launch of the European Network of Migrant Women and called for greater integration of migrant women and their rights into EU legislation, with particular consideration given to gender analysis.

The EU marked World Refugee Day on June 20th and announced that a series of initiatives has been put forward by commissioners in a bid to develop a common European asylum system.

Posted by Alex Donnell