Resilience in Displacement? Building the Potential of Afghan Displaced Women

Citation:

Majidi, Nassim, and Camille Hennion. 2014. “Resilience in Displacement? Building the Potential of Afghan Displaced Women.” Journal of Internal Displacement  4 (1): 78.

Authors: Nassim Majidi, Camille Hennion

Abstract:

Over 76% of Afghans have been displaced by conflict, natural or man-made disasters at some point during their lifetime. Among these, women are “the vulnerable within the vulnerable”, as shown in a recent report written by the authors for the Norwegian Refugee Council, calling for accrued attention to the needs of displaced women at a time of transition and rising insecurity. What do we know about the vulnerabilities and survival of Afghan displaced women? This article focuses on resilience in displacement, highlights specific gendered vulnerabilities of economic and social isolation, and the overall lack of coping mechanisms observed. In a situation of high vulnerabilities but low resilience, what is – and what can be - the response to Afghan women’s need for protection in displacement? This research will be based on a mix of quantitative and qualitative data collected through various research studies in 2012 and 2013 by the authors of this paper.

Keywords: resilience, IDPs, women, Afghanistan, gender, conflict, humanitarian assistance

Topics: Armed Conflict, Displacement & Migration, IDPs, Refugees, Gender, Women, Humanitarian Assistance Regions: Asia, South Asia Countries: Afghanistan

Year: 2014