-
Essay / Refugees: reasons why women flee war - 1891
Introduction/thesisMany women around the world seek refuge to escape famine, violence, war or poverty. A refugee is a person who has fled their country of origin and cannot return because they have a legitimate fear of persecution because of their race, religion, political opinions or membership in a particular social group. Interestingly, most people granted refugee status are women and children. Since 1975, the United States has welcomed more than 3 million refugees from around the world. In 1994, there were approximately 18.9 million refugees worldwide, 75 to 80 percent of whom are women and children and represent 12 percent of all women in the country (Schultz 1994). Unfortunately, refugee women lack access to markets, travel and property rights (Schultz 1994). Focusing on Central American and Middle Eastern women seeking refugee statues between 1980 and today; our investigations revealed that refugees must start a new life, building homes and communities in a foreign country. Additionally, only a limited number of refugees will be allowed to become citizens of the country to which they fled. Refugee women face many tribulations, such as fleeing their home countries due to war, social inequality and violence. Furthermore, once they arrive in their “new home”, they find themselves in an isolation which leads them to extreme loneliness and underemployment. Reasons Women Flee WAR Working-age immigrants and migrant families are terms used to refer to a certain group of individuals. In reality, these terms mainly refer to refugee women. According to an article titled Immigrant Women in the United States, “$18.9 million is in the middle of the paper. Meridians, 3(1), 89-121. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40338545Marmora, L. (1988), Social Integration and Employment of Central American Refugees. Special Issues of the Center for Migration Studies, 6:142-155.doi:10.1111/j.2050411X. .1988.tb00560.xSchultz, C. M. (1994). Promoting economic empowerment: a case study of Afghan refugee women in Pakistan. Journal of International Affairs, 47(2), 557-579. Retrieved from https://login.proxylib.csueastbay.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?di rect=true&db=aph&AN=8951966&site=ehost-live&scope=siteKeyes, EF & Kane , C.F. (2004). Belonging and coping: mental health of Bosnian refugees living in the United States, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 25, 809831.Doi: 10.1080/01612840490506392Secondary referencesKohut, H. (1977). Self-Restoration, International U