What kind of role can immigrants, asylum seekers and refugee women have in their local communities? Can they unfold on their own terms and use their expertise and experiences? How do they experience gender, ethnicity, roles and future opportunities?

Immigrant women in transnational marriages, married to ethnic Norwegian men has increased since the 1990s. According to the Women's Shelter in 2006, women granted residence in Norway through marriage are more than refugee women. In spite of this, the topic of immigrant women is little discussed in the political debate. Marriages between two fundamentally different cultures involves a big challenge. For the women moving to a Nordic country were the language, culture and family structure are unknown. Especially in the beginning they have very little language skills and no social network besides the husband and the husband's family.

PHOTOGRAPHIC WORK BRYNHILD BYE-TILLER