Empowering Women with Migration Background in Italy

This chapter explores the empowerment of women with a migration background in Italy, focusing on the socio-pedagogical interventions developed by La Strada-Der Weg Association in South Tyrol. Within a national context marked by persistent gender inequalities, migrant women face additional layers of vulnerability, shaped by precarious legal status, cultural and linguistic barriers, and exposure to intersecting forms of discrimination. This chapter highlights two key initiatives carried out by the Association—the ALBA project, aimed at victims of human trafficking, and the Young Mothers–Assisted Residences project, designed to support adolescent and young mothers, many of whom are of migrant origin. Both initiatives adopt a person-centred and intersectional approach, combining legal, psychological, and educational support with pathways towards autonomy and social inclusion. Emphasis is placed on recognising women not solely as victims but as agents capable of mobilising resources and resilience, even in constrained circumstances. Central to this approach is the participatory dimension, which fosters women's active involvement in shaping their own trajectories of recovery and empowerment. By situating interventions within the complexity of women's lived experiences, these projects illustrate how socio-pedagogical work can contribute to emancipation, equity, and sustainable social reintegration.