A new report published by the research network of the project Global-ANSWER: Social Work and Human Mobility, funded by the European Union through the Horizon2020 programme, puts forward concrete proposals to advance toward more inclusive local governance in the field of migration. The document includes 18 policy briefs based on a shared understanding: social inclusion is a complex, non-linear process that must be addressed from a local, participatory and rights-based perspective.
The research, carried out between 2023 and 2025 and focused on case studies in the municipalities of Palermo (Italy) and Granada (Spain), identified systemic shortcomings that hinder the full inclusion of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Based on these findings, the report offers policy recommendations aimed at public authorities to address the "structural invisibility" of certain populations, the systemic failures in service provision, and the limited perception of rights among migrant communities.
The 18 policy briefs are structured around five key themes:
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Complex and non-linear processes of inclusion
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Recognising migrants and asylum seekers as rights-holders, contributors and active agents
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The central role of local governance and community participation
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Intersectional vulnerabilities and specific needs
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The imperative of human rights and social justice
The methodological approach combines document analysis and applied research through local case studies, participatory validation and context-sensitive data interpretation. This collective work highlights the need to adapt national and European migration policies to the municipal level, since cities are key spaces where daily life unfolds and social cohesion takes shape.
Beyond improving the effectiveness of migration management, the report argues that shifting from a passive, service-recipient model to one based on shared responsibility and the exercise of rights strengthens the democratic legitimacy of institutions in increasingly diverse European societies.
The Global-ANSWER project, coordinated by the University of Granada, is now entering its final stage. A concluding meeting will take place in Florence (Italy) this coming November, marking the close of four intense years of collaboration, research secondments and fieldwork carried out to develop the case studies and final recommendations.