Allies, access and (collective) action: Young refugee women’s navigation of gendered educational constraints in Greece

Abstract

Contrary to popular media tropes of the ‘young, lone, male refugee’ arriving at Europe’s borders, Greece has in fact seen a steady flow of young refugee women arriving since 2015. While many wish to engage in post-compulsory (15+) education, in order to gain valuable skills and enjoy new freedoms, various factors make it difficult to do so. Based on eight months of ethnographic fieldwork – involving semi-structured interviews with refugee youth (aged 15-25) and other stakeholders – this paper details young refugee women’s expressions of collective and relational agency as they navigate educational constraints. These constraints primarily stem from tensions in micro-level relationships with family, peers and teachers which result from, or are exacerbated by, the conditions of ‘unsettlement’. Young refugee women’s navigational tactics involved finding and shaping alternative learning opportunities, educating peers and leveraging collective strength. The paper concludes with implications and recommendations for gender-sensitive educational initiatives.s.

Refugees' gendered experiences of education in Europe since 2015: A scoping review

“…This was the case in Rezaian et al's (2020) study, which found that even though young refugee women were less likely to have completed schooling than their male counterparts, they were dedicated to seeking out and participating in the non-formal opportunities available while they waited in limbo. Hunt's (2021) findings echo this desire among young women in Greece to pursue a formal academic trajectory they have been denied previously in their home country, either due to conflict or cultural or family norms. Fincham (2020) found an equally and incredibly high interest in pursuing higher education among both young Syrian refugee men and women in Türkiye (as well as Jordan and Lebanon), but for different, gendered reasons.…”

“…There, refugee women created their own non‐formal education spaces and, in doing so, reclaimed male‐dominated areas of the camp. Such navigational tactics to overcome barriers were also identified among young refugee women in Greece by Hunt (2021, p. 16):

they made efforts to fit in with and educate their peers; they requested and shaped learning offers to fit their needs; they engaged in ‘appropriate’, alternative learning opportunities which mitigated their family's protection concerns and/or better suited their situation; and they drew upon the support of advocates and allies to build strong, encouraging relationships and continue learning.

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“…Numerous studies in the sample discussed the family‐related challenges faced by women. Hunt (2021), for example, documents how in Greece, additional responsibilities such as childcare, domestic tasks and being the head of a household (often due to the loss or absence of a male family member) can hamper refugee women's ability to participate in education. Similarly, childcare was a barrier for refugee women taking part in a language programme in Germany (Gereke & Nijhawan, 2019).…”

“…This is not to say that educators and other staff only present problems, however. Rather, Hunt (2021Hunt ( , 2022 notes the importance of strong relationships with educators, and how female teachers in particular can become important role models for refugee girls and young women, even if this can potentially create tensions with their families' culturally based roles and expectations.…”

“…Tailored educational programming, community support and other opportunities assisted refugee girls and women in their individual efforts to overcome barriers and access education. In the case of Greece, Hunt (2021) and Kitsiou et al (2021) have noted the importance of women-only non-formal learning offers and simultaneous childcare. These initiatives tackle the social aspects that often influence refugee girls' and women's participation in education and recognise that women may find the most support in their own communities, whether that means the refugee or (international) learner community (Damaschke-Deitrick et al, 2019).…”