Working Groups in Europe

Current Working Groups (2025-2026)

Migrant workers, exploitation, and health

Evidence suggests that migrant workers in Europe – whose numbers have increased rapidly in recent years – are more likely to work in low-wage, dangerous or unhealthy working environments. Migrant workers experience higher levels of workplace injuries and mortality compared to local workers, and severe labour abuses, compounded by their marginalisation from European health systems. The link between exploitative working conditions and its impact on health has been poorly elucidated to date.

This Working Group will aim to generate an evidence-base around migration, work, and health in Europe and seek to explore and assess the impact of exploitative work on health outcomes in these populations. We will assess gaps in service delivery, national and regional data collection, and policymaking, and define innovative new models of care and good practice to ensure this vital workforce are included in healthcare and workplace initiatives to ensure their health and protection.

Chaired by: Professor Sally Hargreaves (s.hargreaves@sgul.ac.uk)

Social Inclusion and Health Equity

We are interested in learning what kind of research is being conducted in Europe linking the health of migrants with their inclusion/ integration in society. Under health, we understand mental, physical and social health and wellbeing. Under migrants, we mean all international migrants regardless of the reason for migration (refugees, labour migrants, undocumented, etc). Under inclusion/integration, we understand system related, group or individual level factors that affect these parameters (from laws and policies to stigma or acknowledgement of previous skills for working in the new country)

We identified different understandings of the concepts of integration and inclusion/ acculturation/harmonization, both from a theoretical point of view, but also depending on the receiving contexts, the type and phases of migration and the historical situations. Further, there were no clear operationalization of the terms either in terms of research. We plan to start our activities by working on this.

Chaired by: Professor Esperanza Diaz (esperanza.diaz@uib.no) and Professor Ozge Karadag

Adaptation strategies and responses to the effects of climate change on migrants’ health in Europe


The WHS – The Lancet Regional Health – Europe Commission on Health, Migration and Climate Change was launched in 2024 and is comprised of four working groups of regional experts from academia, UN, and civil society. We aim to gather evidence from the WHO European Region on policy and practical responses that consider the health of migrants subject to climate hazards. The Working Group is conducting a document review as well as a qualitative study targeting migrant groups, clinicians, NGOs, civil society, UN agencies and governments. The data will inform the Commission’s report – expected mid-2026.

Chaired by: Dr Shilpa Rao and Professor Karl Blanchet (karl.blanchet@unige.ch)

Previous Working Groups (2023-2025)

Border Security, Detention,  and Health

Migration, asylum and border policies are a key determining factors in the health and well-being of migrants. Over the past two decades, increasingly States have introduced restrictive migration policies that deny migrants and asylum seekers their right to health and have an adverse impact on the health of people migrating. In Europe, this includes ranges from measures such as the hotspots in Greece and Italy, agreements with third countries to limit migration to Europe and increased securitization at borders whilst increased limits to protection, asylum and health access within European countries.

The working group will aim to review and examine key principles of European migration policy frameworks and their implication for the health of people migrating as well on practices and ethics of health practitioners.

Chaired by: Reem Mussa and Prof. Dr. Kayvan Bozorgmehr

Vaccination

Evidence suggests migrants may be an under-immunised group in Europe and face barriers to health and vaccination systems on arrival, with major gaps identified in both policy and practice to ensure migrants have equitable access to vaccines. The World Health Organization’s new immunisation agenda (IA2030) calls on governments to place greater focus on delivering catch-up vaccination to marginalised groups across the life course, in order to drive up coverage for vaccine-preventable diseases to meet key regional and global targets.

This working group will aim to generate an evidence-base around migration and vaccination in Europe, assess gaps in service delivery and policymaking, and define innovative new models of care and good practice to ensure these groups are included.

Chaired by: Prof. Sally Hargreaves

Universal Health Coverage 

The realization of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is one of the key targets the nations of the world have set within the Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030. The UHC underpinning vision recognizes health as human right of all individuals regardless of  citizenship or migratory status, and as a crucial factor for all to lead a socially and economically productive life. UHC means that all individuals and communities have access to the full spectrum of essential, quality health services they need – including health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course – without suffering financial hardship. Yet in most countries migrants do not enjoy the same health coverage citizens have access to, depending upon migration status, norms, circumstances, and the individual capacity to overcome various socio-economic, cultural, linguistic, and gender-specific barriers. Additionally, in the case of migrants UHC should entail mechanisms to overcome cross-border obstacles to continuity of care, and use a whole-of-route health coverage approach along the migration journey at origin, transit, destination, and upon return.

This working group will aim to generate an evidence-base around migration and UHC policies and practices in Europe, assess gaps, perceptions and policy constraints, and  identify innovative approaches, models, and opportunities to help advancing a more migrant-inclusive UHC at regional level.

Chaired by: Prof. Karl Blanchet and Dr Davide Mosca

Contact: karl.blanchet@unige.ch

Supporters

The Lancet Migration European Regional Hub is supported by the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies.

The logo of the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies in colour

How to join

If a working group interests you, please email the lead listed, with your academic experience on the topic.

Contact rosemary.james@unige.ch if you would like to suggest the formation of a new working group.