Why it's often men who make the migration journey to Europe

The Belgian government said recently it would temporarily no longer provide shelter for single men seeking asylum, arguing that families, women and children should be prioritised. 

Last Wednesday, State Secretary Nicole de Moor said increasing pressure on asylum housing was expected over the coming months and she wanted “absolutely to avoid children ending up in the streets this winter.” 

Instead, single men will have to fend for themselves.

It's provoked an angry response, with the Brussels region and Amnesty International among those calling on the government to change its mind. The European Commission said it would contact Belgian authorities on the issue. 

There has been a backlash towards men claiming asylum in other circumstances too.

When 500 men were initially moved on to the Bibby Stockholm barge in the south of England, in a UK government attempt to avoid spending money on hotel accommodation, it came up again and again when local people were interviewed. 

"The only issue is that so many people arrive on the boat and they are all men. Where are the families? Where are the wives and children?," one person was quoted as saying to the BBC. 

Others were more explicit. 

"I'm very concerned, I'm scared, me and my children come to the seaside, the beach here," another woman said. "How are we meant to do that with 500 men?" 

Why men make the journey

According to the EU Agency for Asylum, male applicants last year accounted for 71% of asylum claims.

However, experts and campaigners point out that there are reasons why men are often the ones to make the journey. 

Professor Nando Sigona, the chair of International Migration and Forced Displacement at the University of Birmingham in the UK, says men are seen as the main breadwinner