Austria is a prosperous country with an enviable location at the epicenter of Central Europe. It calls seven countries its neighbor, so it is little wonder that the country experiences a significant migrant footfall. It also boasts one of the strongest social systems in Europe, meaning that support for unemployed, sick or injured people is generous in comparison to Austria’s European counterparts.

The country offers a bright outlook for many fleeing conflict or poverty. However, many migrants slip through bureaucratic cracks. Whether it is due to a lack of education, inability to speak the native language or legal setbacks when applying for work permits and residency documentation, many migrants find themselves in a legal gray zone that strips them of any meaningful way to make money and integrate into the country.

That is where organizations like Ikemba, Südwind and Megaphon come in. Armed with expertise in social integration, knowledge transfer and legal counsel, and access to invaluable resources, each works tirelessly to defend migrants’ rights in Austria, help them get a footing in the job market and secure a fulfilling future.

Ikemba

“We need humanity.” That is Ikemba’s resounding call on its homepage, and it is this philosophy that informs all the work it does in Graz’s underprivileged migrant communities. Its focus is on equipping migrants, low-threshold families and “hard-to-reach people” with skills that will increase their chances of a sustainable future.

A combination of social integration, help with language skills, cultural education and health support has seen Ikemba empower underrepresented communities. Courses include “Low-threshold A1 German courses for women” and “Empowerment communication course on the topic of ‘Health,’” among others. By offering this kind of education free of charge, Ikemba is one step closer to its vision: a society in which diversity is lived and valued. It is essential when it comes to fighting for migrants’ rights in Austria.

Südwind

While Südwind’s core focus is climate justice, the charity recognizes that this goes hand in hand with poverty and social inequality. Climate justice is innately connected to human rights and global sustainable development, which is why it fights for fair working conditions across every stage of international supply chains and campaigns for international solidarity and access to food and education for all.

It is no mean feat. Tackling all these major societal issues simultaneously takes a strong vision and an airtight strategy. The charity invests a significant portion of time in educational workshops that are carried out across the whole country ,the Südwind magazine and international PR campaigns that inform readers about climate justice and its impacts on migration and disadvantaged communities.

Megaphon

Taking a different approach to Südwind and Ikemba, Megaphon recognizes the bureaucratic challenges that many migrants face when in Austria. Its mission is to keep as many migrants as possible out of financial precarity by offering them the opportunity to sell its street magazine, Megaphon, without any work permits.

Offering an empowering alternative to begging on the street, Megaphon recognizes the legal battles that many migrants face in Austria and offers them legal counseling regarding visas, permits and residency. And while profits for the magazine are always welcome, the organization’s main objective is to get its vendors into meaningful and long-lasting jobs that secure a sustainable future for themselves and their families.

Looking Ahead

All three organizations are cornerstones of the social sector in Graz. Whether defending migrants’ rights in Austria by loudly taking to the streets to protest or quietly managing tedious paperwork that makes migrants’ lives easier, each proves how important such organizations are in lifting people out of poverty for the long term.

– Saroj Spickett

Saroj is based in Graz, Austria and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash