Economic agency in migrations of women and girls: The case of migrant women and girls from Burundi
Elements of gender inequality also exist in migration and are manifested in all stages of migration, starting from the context in the home country, during the journey and in the country of destination. In any analysis of migration it is important to take into account the political, economic, social and cultural circumstances, i.e. the patriarchal patterns of relations in the countries of origin, since in different societies gender discrimination manifests itself in different ways, which puts women and girls in a disadvantageous position compared to men and boys.[1] Humanitarian crises intensify gender inequalities that have already existed before the crisis occurred, and they affect women and girls differently compared to men and boys, which is why it is necessary to include a gender equality component in all humanitarian actions.[2] Economic insecurities and economic dependence on men increase the probability of various forms of exploitation, as well as of physical, psychological and sexual violence. Achieving equality and independence are therefore often the reasons why women and girls decide to migrate.
When considering economic disadvantages of women and girls, Burundi is a particularly vivid example due to the socioeconomic and cultural specificities of the context within which girls and women from that country decide to migrate.It is estimated that between 80 and 90 percent of Burundi's population primarily earns their means of living from agriculture and that about 55 percent of the workforce in Burundi is made up of women.[3] Due to the high population density, land is a sought-after and valuable resource. Due to the traditional system of inheritance through the male line, women are in an extremely vulnerable economic position. Burundi does not have an official law on inheritance, gifts or matrimonial relations, but customary law is used to regulate these relations within a patriarchal tradition that discriminates against women.[4] Documenting land ownership is relatively rare in Burundi, especially in rural parts of the country. In this context, women do not legally inherit the land, but only have the right to use it depending on the will of the father, brothers, husband, or husband's relatives. This structure places women of all ages in an extremely insecure and economically dependent position.
After Burundi officially withdrew its recognition of Kosovo in 2018, the Republic of Serbia introduced a visa-free regime for citizens of Burundi. For migrants from Burundi, Serbia became a transit country through which they passed and stayed temporarily during their journey (and some even requested asylum and stayed long-term).
In April 2023 I spoke with representatives of Atina NGO, who have direct experience in implementing a program that includes a wide range of activities, including work on the economic empowerment of migrant women and girls from Burundi and other countries, as well as experience working on conducting research with this population. Atina has, in cooperation with Save the Children, implemented the "Pippi of today"[5] project in the Republic of Serbia from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022. "Pippi of today" is an initiative whose goal is to raise awareness about girls on the move, as well as to collect financial resources to support organizations that work directly with girls on the move. As part of this project, various activities were carried out to provide support to migrant girls. According to data from an interview with representatives of Atina, the activities implemented included case management, cultural mediation, information workshops on access to rights for girls in the movement, communication and advocacy mentoring sessions, the creation of a customized education and training plan for economic empowerment to respond to specific needs of the target group, practice in the social enterprise of Atina - Bagel Bejgl - visits and exchange of experiences with partner organizations, local public actions, affirmative campaign and international round table. Since 2019, Atina has been organizing an advocacy group that is open to both migrant women and women from the local population.
Recommendations for civil society
The economic empowerment program implemented by the Atina NGO is the most extensive program aimed at migrant women so far. However, it is necessary to achieve more political will and institutional support for the empowerment of the migrant population. Migrants are a connected group and rely on each other for information. This aspect was used to achieve better communication and data flow in working with migrants. However, additional work is needed to connect migrant women and local women and girls. One of the ways to make contacts and find social support in the local environment is to implement activities that involve both migrant and local women and girls. Contact with the local population can help with the integration of migrant women, but it is still important in the process of implementing activities through which this contact is achieved to consider the specific needs of migrant women and girls in relation to other beneficiaries. It is also important to work on strengthening the long-term connection between the beneficiaries of the programs, as well as to strengthen the feedback mechanisms between the beneficiaries and the organizers of the support programs. Long-term monitoring of the outcomes of migrant women's experiences would help develop better practices.
Recommendations for State institutions
Official statistical data are often inadequate and do not consider the gender component. Future research would benefit from the disaggregation of data by gender, age, and family status, and that would enable a more complete insight into who migrant women are. It would be useful to keep statistics on the educational profile of migrant women, since it would help in the creation of policies and programs that would better address their needs, and contribute to their integration. It is necessary to include the gender dimension in the training program for persons employed by the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration. The lack of institutional support and incentive for integration is a strong reason why migrant women rarely decide to stay permanently in the Republic of Serbia. From the conversation with representatives of Atina, it was recognized that the factors that influence girls and women to decide to stay for the time being are most often related to personal circumstances and largely depend on individual characteristics — on the ability to learn the language, make contacts, and find social support in the environment. In addition, current migration policies are mainly guided by a humanitarian approach, i.e., by providing emergency assistance to people who are at risk as a result of the crisis. This approach is short-term and aims to provide immediate and basic support. However, this is not an adequate approach when it comes to integration into society. It is necessary to move from a humanitarian approach to an integrative approach. Understanding the reasons why women and girls decide to migrate is necessary to respond adequately to the needs of this population. In the case of women and girls from Burundi, a strong motive for migration is the desire for economic independence. Women and girls on the move are not one-dimensional, their safety and rights are often threatened, but they should not be seen as victims. When designing policies and programs intended for the population of migrant women and girls, their personal agency should be considered as a direction in which effective programs can be developed. Economic empowerment and providing opportunities for legal work are not only ways to help migrant women but can have positive externalities for society. Apart from economic growth, the integration of migrant women would also contribute to the cultural diversity of society.
A successfully implemented program of economic empowerment should enable migrant women to be economically independent. The activities of Atina NGO represent an example of good practice, but it is necessary to achieve stronger institutional support, as well as coordination of activities with other service providers.
* This blog was written as a result of an internship with Save the Children and within the project "Violence Against Children on the Balkans Migration Route - Solutions Through Advocacy and Research (STAR)" supported by the Sexual Violence Research Initiative.
Sara Vujović
Sources
Bigirimana, Joëlla, Not Merely Soil: Access to Land Rights for Women in Burundi Means More, IOM, 2023. Available from: https://storyteller.iom.int/stories/not-merely-soil-access-land-rights-women-burundi-means-more, (Accessed on 17 April 2023).
IASC. (2018). The Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action. iasc; https://interagen- cystandingcommittee.org/system/files/2018- iasc_gender_handbook_for_huma- nitarian_action_eng_0.pdf
Pippi of today, Available from: https://www.pippioftoday.com/about-pippi-of-today/, (Accessed on April 18 2023).
UN Women, Burundi, Available from https://data.unwomen.org/country/burundi, (Accessed on 17 April 2023).
Žegarac, N., Perišić, N., Burgund Isakov, A., Lončarević, K., Marković, V. Zaštita dece u migracijama: Pristup zasnovan na pravima. Univerzitet u Beogradu, Fakultet političkih nauka, 2021.
[1]N. Žegarac, N. Perišić, A. Burgund Isakov, K. Lončarević, V. Marković, Zaštita dece u migracijama: Pristup zasnovan na pravima. Univerzitet u Beogradu, Fakultet političkih nauka, 2021, p. 230.
[2]IASC. (2018). The Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action. iasc; https://interagen- cystandingcommittee.org/system/files/2018- iasc_gender_handbook_for_huma- nitarian_action_eng_0.pdf
[3]UN Women. Burundi. Available from https://africa.unwomen.org/en/where-we-are/eastern-and-southern-africa/burundi(Accessed 17 April 2023).
[4]Joella Bigirimana, Not Merely Soil: Access to Land Rights for Women in Burundi Means More, IOM, 2023. Available from: https://storyteller.iom.int/stories/not-merely-soil-access-land-rights-women-burundi-means-more, (Accessed on April 16 2023).
[5]Pippi of today, Available from: https://www.pippioftoday.com/about-pippi-of-today/, (Accessed on April 18 2023).
