Sub-Saharan African women : integration or poverty and social exclusion?

Abstract

With the recent phenomenon of irregular immigration by boat from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Dublin II Regulation which ensures that asylum issues are dealt with by the initial country entered, a number of Somali women now have humanitarian protection in Malta. Qualitative research with ethnographic traits was unde1iaken to investigate whether these women were integrating into Maltese society. However the aim of the research was soon modified to uncover obstacles, and the relevance of gender, to African women's basic needs being met. Several factors emerged from interviews with ten participants who reside in Open Centres. The majority had been unable to find employment for reasons related to language barriers, cultural clothing differences and possibly discrimination. The study highlighted the existence of unsatisfactory housing conditions in which husbands and wives are segregated, the stereotypical female- carer role is perpetuated and overcrowding is the norm. The dehumanising practice, by some government employees, of calling migrant women by number instead of their name was also revealed. Furthermore it appears that competition for limited resources and poor living conditions may be contributory factors to violent incidents that have recently taken place in two Open Centres housing Somali women. Effective measures need to be introduced without delay or remedy deficient areas or a broad range of severe social problems may follow. Regarding health matters, the Migrant Health Unit provides an efficient and professional service which is designed to cater to these women's specific needs. However the provision of dental and optical care would be beneficial in further enhancing migrants' health and wellbeing.