Women Refugees: An Imbalance of Protecting and Being Protected

Abstract

Abstract:The recent refugee crisis in Europe has become a prominent human security issues that continues to receive international attention. The main debate has been on the accommodation of refugees in European countries and the issues that arise from the sudden influx of people into those countries. Camps were established with limited time and information to prepare, leading to issues within these temporary living arrangements. Conditions are worse for women refugees, who suffer similarly to the men but have higher rates of insecurity. This paper attempts to argue for greater protection for women refugees. To do so, it will describe women refugees' conditions and needs and relate them to an enforced moral responsibility. It argues for more attention to be given to women refugees with specific conditions, those who have been marginalized in most refugee policies. The main argument is that better protection for and empowerment of women refugees is urgently needed due to their own conditions and needs alongside the moral obligations to take care of children and the elderly. To do so, policies have to consult the specific needs of women. An important step towards this effort is to develop further and more detailed classification of women and their specific needs: women refugees' needs are not merely determined by their own conditions but also the conditions of those they are responsible for.

Structural and Symbolic Violence Exacerbates the Risks and Consequences of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence for Forced Migrant Women

“…Individuals are confronted with continuous threats of violence when fleeing conflict and insecurity to seek safety, and the impacts of resultant harms are often gendered (Krause, 2017). Forced migrants can be forced to undertake transactional sex to "pay" for travel documents, border access, or the journey itself (Yazid and Natania, 2017). Threats of SGBV accompany flight by land or sea.…”

A Qualitative Evaluation of a Mother and Child Center Providing Psychosocial Support to Newly Arrived Female Refugees in a Registration and Reception Center in Germany

“…The interviewees’ comments show that MUKI fostered the women’s self-efficacy on an inter- and intra-individual level: the women frequently voiced feelings of social acceptance and mutual respect and a sense of security safety in connection with their experiences of the MUKI. Considering the women’s harrowing gender-specific reasons for and experiences during flight [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ], creating a setting such as this is a first step in providing women with the necessary foundation for stabilization and emotional distancing from an experienced trauma. Women’s programs are critical.…”

“…This highly vulnerable refugee group is significantly affected by pre-, peri-, and post-migratory trauma and stress factors, leading to severe psychological burden [ 2 ]. Sexualized and gender-based violence are among the main reasons women and girls flee their home countries [ 3 ]. Forced marriage, family honor-related violence, genital mutilation, rape, and resistance to and or transgression of gender-discriminatory religious practices, cultural traditions, or legislation are just some examples of what females experience before and after armed conflicts [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

“…Forced marriage, family honor-related violence, genital mutilation, rape, and resistance to and or transgression of gender-discriminatory religious practices, cultural traditions, or legislation are just some examples of what females experience before and after armed conflicts [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. During their flight, women and children are particularly vulnerable to sexual and other exploitation forms, including labor exploitation, trafficking, discrimination, and extortion [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. A representative survey of 639 female refugees living in German shelters revealed that a significantly higher number of women from African countries had traveled to Germany alone than women fleeing from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.…”

Synergy of Multi-actors in the Empowerment of Women Refugees in Indonesia

“…An essential step toward this effort is to enhance a more detailed classification of women and their specific needs. Women refugees' necessities are not merely regulated by their conditions but also the circumstances of those they are responsible for (Yazid & Natania, 2017).…”