Emigrant Widows of Tajikistan and Guatemala: Where Structural Poverty and Structural Repression of Women Intersect

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Emigrant Widows of Tajikistan and Guatemala: Where Structural Poverty and Structural Repression of Women Intersect Emigrant Widows of Tajikistan and Guatemala: Where Structural Poverty and Structural Repression of Women Intersect Judy Elizabeth Lane Boyer HMN 679HB Honors Humanities Program The University of Texas at Austin May 2021 Thomas Jesus Garza Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies Supervising Professor Bella B. Jordan Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies Second Reader Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 5 Research Design .................................................................................................................. 6 Argument ............................................................................................................................. 6 CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................................... 8 Research Design Evolution ................................................................................................. 8 Initial Design ................................................................................................................... 8 Tajikistan ......................................................................................................................... 9 Guatemala ...................................................................................................................... 10 Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval ................................................................. 11 COVID-19 ..................................................................................................................... 12 Fieldwork ........................................................................................................................... 14 A. Tajikistan: ...................................................................................................................... 15 B. Guatemala: ..................................................................................................................... 16 Coding ........................................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................................. 24 Civil War and the Birth of the Drug Trade ........................................................................ 25 Corruption: Ties to Poverty and Drug Trafficking ............................................................ 26 Poverty, Migration, and Drug Trafficking..................................................................... 31 Other Crime ................................................................................................................... 38 Violence Against Women .................................................................................................. 42 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 48 CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................. 49 Historic Governmental Repression and Corruption .......................................................... 50 Crime and Violence ........................................................................................................... 51 Escape from Poverty and Violence: Corruption, Crime, and Migration ....................... 56 Ineffective Legal System ............................................................................................... 64 Violence Against Women .................................................................................................. 68 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 74 CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................................. 76 Women’s Rights: History, Tradition, and Progressive Movements .................................. 77 Background ................................................................................................................... 77 Civil War and Aftermath: Effect on Women ................................................................. 79 2 Field Interviews: Guatemalan and Tajikistani Gender Experts, Social Workers, and Emigrant Widows ...................................................................................................................... 87 Systemic Repression ...................................................................................................... 87 Economy: Family Finances and Women’s Labor ......................................................... 98 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 104 CHAPTER 5 ................................................................................................................................ 105 Trends: Men’s Migration and Family Finances .............................................................. 105 Trends: Emigrant Widows’ Socioeconomic Status ......................................................... 110 Experiences: Emigrant Widows’ Labor and Family Finances .................................... 113 Trends and Experiences: Social and Emotional Impacts on Families ......................... 122 Trends and Experiences: Material and Social Support for Emigrant Widows ................ 133 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 138 CHAPTER 6 ................................................................................................................................ 139 Crime, Violence, Corruption, and Economy ................................................................... 139 Tajikistan ..................................................................................................................... 139 Guatemala .................................................................................................................... 141 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 143 Women – Repression and Consequences ........................................................................ 149 Structural Repression................................................................................................... 149 Portrait of the Emigrant Widow .................................................................................. 154 Agency and Empowerment ......................................................................................... 159 Incidental Agency and/or Quality of Life.................................................................... 160 Surmounting the Odds; Changing the Narrative ......................................................... 164 CHAPTER 7 ................................................................................................................................ 168 Possible Ways Forward ................................................................................................... 168 Recommendations for Further Research ......................................................................... 170 Personal Impact ........................................................................................................... 173 References ................................................................................................................................... 175 APPENDIX A: 2011 Crime Statistics (Rate per 100,000 population) ........................................ 180 APPENDIX B: Key Informant Questionnaire............................................................................. 181 APPENDIX C: Key Informant Questionnaire - Spanish ............................................................. 187 APPENDIX D: Subject Matter Expert Questionnaire ................................................................. 192 3 LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1: Demographic Information of Samples .......................................................................... 18 Table 1.2: Comparison of Samples’ Demographics ...................................................................... 18 Table 1.3: Coding Protocol ............................................................................................................ 22 Table 2: Tajikistan Crime Statistics ............................................................................................... 38 Table 3: Guatemala Crime Statistics ............................................................................................. 52 Table 6.1: Comparison of Samples’ Demographics ................................................................... 155 Table 6.2: Social Views on Family Matters ................................................................................ 155 Table 6.3: Instances of Agency/Quality of Life Incidental to Culture/Labor Migration ............ 162 4 INTRODUCTION Guatemala and Tajikistan are two countries located in different geographical regions, and yet they appear to have similarities.
Recommended publications
  • Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2020
    Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 Fiscal policy amid the crisis arising from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic Thank you for your interest in this ECLAC publication ECLAC Publications Please register if you would like to receive information on our editorial products and activities. When you register, you may specify your particular areas of interest and you will gain access to our products in other formats. www.cepal.org/en/publications ublicaciones www.cepal.org/apps Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 Fiscal policy amid the crisis arising from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic Alicia Bárcena Executive Secretary Mario Cimoli Deputy Executive Secretary Raúl García-Buchaca Deputy Executive Secretary for Management and Programme Analysis Daniel Titelman Chief, Economic Development Division Ricardo Pérez Chief, Publications and Web Services Division The Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean is a report prepared each year by the Economic Development Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The preparation of this year’s report was supervised by Daniel Titelman, Chief of the Division, and Noel Pérez Benítez, Chief of the Division’s Fiscal Affairs Unit. Jean Baptiste Carpentier, María Gil, Michael Hanni, Juan Pablo Jiménez and Noel Pérez Benítez worked on the drafting of the report. Chapter III drew on inputs prepared by Juan Carlos Gómez Sabaini and Dalmiro Morán. Andrea Podestá prepared inputs for chapter IV. Swen Tellier provided research assistance and prepared statistical information. The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) assisted with the financing of this publication.
    [Show full text]
  • MIRPS: Regional Context and Comprehensive Approach
    Index Part 1 ..................................................... 1 MIRPS: Regional Context and Comprehensive Approach............................................................................. 1.1 National Chapters of MIRPS Countries……………….. 1.2 Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama Part 2 ......... …………………………………….2 Contributions from Cooperation Actors………….…. 2.1 Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, UNHCR Spanish Committee Contributions from Regional and International Organisations and from Regional Networks……………………………………………..……..…..... 2.2 Organization of American States (OAS), Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, General Secretariat of the Central American Integration System (SG SICA), Secretariat of the Central American Social Integration System (SISCA), Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), United Nations Development Group (UNDG Lac), Resident Coordinators of the United Nations System in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Human Rights Institutions, Latin American and Caribbean Ecclesiastic Network of Migration, Displacement, Asylum and Human Trafficking (CLAMOR), Regional Network of Civil Society Organisations for Migration (RROCM), Risk, Emergency & Disaster Working Group for Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC), Specialised Regional Group of Academics who Support the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (GREAT MIRPS), Integrarse Network. NOTICE / DISCLAIMER:
    [Show full text]
  • Towards the Implementation of the MIRPS in Central America & Mexico
    Concept notes Towards the implementation of the MIRPS in Central America & Mexico Concept notes on selected sectors 2020 Concept notes Context Impacted by increasingly complex forced displacement situations, Central America hosts hundreds of thousands of people who have fled their homes, either within or across their country’s borders, in search of safety. This includes IDPs in El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico; together with refugees and asylum-seekers from the northern Central American countries who have fled chronic gang violence, persecution and insecurity. The vast majority of refugees and asylum-seekers from these countries are hosted in Mexico and the USA, with several thousands more having sought asylum in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama. In addition, tens of thousands of people have fled the social and political crisis in Nicaragua, the vast majority arriving in neighbouring Costa Rica where asylum claims have increased exponentially. In 2019, the Americas was the largest recipient of asylum applications worldwide. An additional several hundred thousand persons are returning to their countries of origin as deportees, including those with protection needs. With an increasing trend of people forcibly displaced in the region exerting pressure on national protection and asylum systems, the MIRPS seeks to expand the operational capacity of States in Central America and Mexico to respond to forced displacement. This includes making the necessary arrangements to ensure safe reception and admission of people forced to flee, facilitating access to safe spaces and shelters, engaging community and municipal leadership, promoting durable solutions and livelihoods, as well as fostering an environment of peaceful coexistence. In 2017, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama adopted the San Pedro Sula Declaration, to address forced displacement by strengthening the protection and assistance to affected persons, as well as promoting durable solutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Democracy Index 2020 in Sickness and in Health?
    Democracy Index 2020 In sickness and in health? A report by The Economist Intelligence Unit www.eiu.com The world leader in global business intelligence The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU) is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group, the sister company to The Economist newspaper. Created in 1946, we have over 70 years’ experience in helping businesses, financial firms and governments to understand how the world is changing and how that creates opportunities to be seized and risks to be managed. Given that many of the issues facing the world have an international (if not global) dimension, The EIU is ideally positioned to be commentator, interpreter and forecaster on the phenomenon of globalisation as it gathers pace and impact. EIU subscription services The world’s leading organisations rely on our subscription services for data, analysis and forecasts to keep them informed about what is happening around the world. We specialise in: • Country Analysis: Access to regular, detailed country-specific economic and political forecasts, as well as assessments of the business and regulatory environments in different markets. • Risk Analysis: Our risk services identify actual and potential threats around the world and help our clients understand the implications for their organisations. • Industry Analysis: Five year forecasts, analysis of key themes and news analysis for six key industries in 60 major economies. These forecasts are based on the latest data and in-depth analysis of industry trends. EIU Consulting EIU Consulting is a bespoke service designed to provide solutions specific to our customers’ needs. We specialise in these key sectors: • Healthcare: Together with our two specialised consultancies, Bazian and Clearstate, The EIU helps healthcare organisations build and maintain successful and sustainable businesses across the healthcare ecosystem.
    [Show full text]
  • Coffee Annual
    Required Report: Required - Public Distribution Date: May 14, 2021 Report Number: GT2021-0013 Report Name: Coffee Annual Country: Guatemala Post: Guatemala City Report Category: Coffee Prepared By: Karla Tay Approved By: Andrew Hochhalter Report Highlights: Guatemala coffee planted area in MY2021/2022 is forecast to remain steady at 305,000 Ha, but harvested area will increase 2 percent as planted trees mature. Production is forecast at 3.47 million 60- Kg bags, a 10 percent increase compared to 3.15 million 60-Kg bags estimated for the MY2020/2021 harvest, hit by hurricanes Eta and Iota at the beginning of the harvest. Between the storms and the COVID pandemic in 2020, the harvest dropped 16 percent. Exports in MY2021/2022 are forecast at 3.2 million 60-Kg bags. Consumption in MY2021/2022 will slightly recover as hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops open, but continue with limitations due to less than 1 percent of the Guatemalans being COVID vaccinated as of May 2021. THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICY Crop Area: At least 93 percent of the coffee in Guatemala continues to be grown under shade, much of it on steep mountain ranges in the primary water sources areas, which creates an agroforestry system (Photo 1) that protects watersheds, reduces soil erosion, and allows for nutrient recycling. Coffee forests represent 7 percent of the national forest cover. Photo 1 Agroforestry coffee system in Guatemala Source: ANACAFE, 2021 Guatemala’s coffee planted area forecast for MY2021/2022 is 305,000 hectares (Ha), just as in the past three years, but harvested area is forecast to increase to 270,000 Ha as bearing trees increase to 1.2 billion.
    [Show full text]
  • COVID-19, Elites and the Future Political Economy of Inequality Reduction in Latin America
    COVID-19, elites and the future political economy of inequality reduction in Latin America Benedicte Bull and Francisco Robles Rivera Abstract The literature is divided on the impact of pandemics on income inequality. The economic literature points to an increase in inequality as a result of pandemics, whereas historical and political science literature argue that pandemics may create breakdowns of institutions, maintaining inequality due to elite shifts and pressure from below. We review current data on the impact of COVID-19 and find that there is evidence of an upward income transfer as well as some elite shifts in the region. However, elites have controlled the economic measures to alleviate and confront the crisis and there is little evidence of a resultant institutional breakdown. Keywords COVID-19, viruses, epidemics, economic aspects, income distribution, elite, wealth, poverty, economic policy, Latin America JEL classification N46, P16, D36 Authors Benedicte Bull is a professor in the Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM) at the University of Oslo, Norway. Email: [email protected]. Francisco Robles Rivera is a researcher in the Institute of Social Research and Lecturer at the School of Communication at the University of Costa Rica. Email: [email protected]. 78 CEPAL Review N° 132 • December 2020 I. Introduction The debate on the effect of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on inequality has changed dramatically over the last months. While COVID-19 was portrayed as “the great equalizer” in the early stages of the spread of the infection and lockdown measures (Mein, 2020), evidence now abounds that the pandemic will increase poverty and inequality (Busso and Messina, 2020).
    [Show full text]
  • Guatemala Concept Notes
    Concept notes Towards the implementation of the MIRPS in Central America & Mexico Concept notes on selected sectors 2020 Concept notes Context Impacted by increasingly complex forced displacement situations, Central America hosts hundreds of thousands of people who have fled their homes, either within or across their country’s borders, in search of safety. This includes IDPs in El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico; together with refugees and asylum-seekers from the northern Central American countries who have fled chronic gang violence, persecution and insecurity. The vast majority of refugees and asylum-seekers from these countries are hosted in Mexico and the USA, with several thousands more having sought asylum in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama. In addition, tens of thousands of people have fled the social and political crisis in Nicaragua, the vast majority arriving in neighbouring Costa Rica where asylum claims have increased exponentially. In 2019, the Americas was the largest recipient of asylum applications worldwide. An additional several hundred thousand persons are returning to their countries of origin as deportees, including those with protection needs. With an increasing trend of people forcibly displaced in the region exerting pressure on national protection and asylum systems, the MIRPS seeks to expand the operational capacity of States in Central America and Mexico to respond to forced displacement. This includes making the necessary arrangements to ensure safe reception and admission of people forced to flee, facilitating access to safe spaces and shelters, engaging community and municipal leadership, promoting durable solutions and livelihoods, as well as fostering an environment of peaceful coexistence. In 2017, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama adopted the San Pedro Sula Declaration, to address forced displacement by strengthening the protection and assistance to affected persons, as well as promoting durable solutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Report Impact of Covid-19 on Port Operations in Central America and Dominican Republic
    CENTRAL AMERICAN COMMISSION FOR MARITIME TRANSPORTATION REPORT IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON PORT OPERATIONS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Central American Commission for Maritime Transportation Managua, Nicaragua A May, 2020 A 2 Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 3 I. GENERAL INFORMATION ......................................................................................... 4 II. PERFORMANCE OF PORT OPERATIONS IN THE REGION FACING THE PANDEMIC......................................................................................................................... 5 III. DETECTION OF COVID-19 IN PORTS/TERMINALS ................................................. 8 IV. PREVENTIVE ACTIONS AT PORTS/TERMINALS ................................................... 10 V. LEVEL OF IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON PORT OPERATIONS .................................. 11 VI. IMPACT PROPECTS ON THE SUPPLY CHAIN, IF THE PERIOD OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ISSUED MEASURES BY THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES IS EXTENDED ...................................................................................................................... 14 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS OF PORTS/TERMINALS TO THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS TO GUARANTEE THE SUPPLY CHAIN FLUIDITY ............................ 15 Guatemala ................................................................................................................. 15 El Salvador ...............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Protection Concept Notes
    Concept notes Towards the implementation of the MIRPS in Central America & Mexico Concept notes on selected sectors 2020 Concept notes Context Impacted by increasingly complex forced displacement situations, Central America hosts hundreds of thousands of people who have fled their homes, either within or across their country’s borders, in search of safety. This includes IDPs in El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico; together with refugees and asylum-seekers from the northern Central American countries who have fled chronic gang violence, persecution and insecurity. The vast majority of refugees and asylum-seekers from these countries are hosted in Mexico and the USA, with several thousands more having sought asylum in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama. In addition, tens of thousands of people have fled the social and political crisis in Nicaragua, the vast majority arriving in neighbouring Costa Rica where asylum claims have increased exponentially. In 2019, the Americas was the largest recipient of asylum applications worldwide. An additional several hundred thousand persons are returning to their countries of origin as deportees, including those with protection needs. With an increasing trend of people forcibly displaced in the region exerting pressure on national protection and asylum systems, the MIRPS seeks to expand the operational capacity of States in Central America and Mexico to respond to forced displacement. This includes making the necessary arrangements to ensure safe reception and admission of people forced to flee, facilitating access to safe spaces and shelters, engaging community and municipal leadership, promoting durable solutions and livelihoods, as well as fostering an environment of peaceful coexistence. In 2017, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama adopted the San Pedro Sula Declaration, to address forced displacement by strengthening the protection and assistance to affected persons, as well as promoting durable solutions.
    [Show full text]
  • 2020 Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean
    Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 Fiscal policy amid the crisis arising from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic Thank you for your interest in this ECLAC publication ECLAC Publications Please register if you would like to receive information on our editorial products and activities. When you register, you may specify your particular areas of interest and you will gain access to our products in other formats. www.cepal.org/en/publications ublicaciones www.cepal.org/apps Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 Fiscal policy amid the crisis arising from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic Alicia Bárcena Executive Secretary Mario Cimoli Deputy Executive Secretary Raúl García-Buchaca Deputy Executive Secretary for Management and Programme Analysis Daniel Titelman Chief, Economic Development Division Ricardo Pérez Chief, Publications and Web Services Division The Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean is a report prepared each year by the Economic Development Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The preparation of this year’s report was supervised by Daniel Titelman, Chief of the Division, and Noel Pérez Benítez, Chief of the Division’s Fiscal Affairs Unit. Jean Baptiste Carpentier, María Gil, Michael Hanni, Juan Pablo Jiménez and Noel Pérez Benítez worked on the drafting of the report. Chapter III drew on inputs prepared by Juan Carlos Gómez Sabaini and Dalmiro Morán. Andrea Podestá prepared inputs for chapter IV. Swen Tellier provided research assistance and prepared statistical information. The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) assisted with the financing of this publication.
    [Show full text]
  • Trends in the Impact of COVID-19 on Refugees and Migrants in Guatemala and Mexico
    MMC Latin America and the Caribbean - 4Mi Snapshot – February 2021 Trends in the impact of COVID-19 on refugees and migrants in Guatemala and Mexico This snapshot offers an analysis on how the impact of the COVID-19 crisis among Profiles refugees and migrants in Guatemala and Mexico has changed between July and November of 2020. It is based on 4Mi interviews with refugees and migrants and a few This analysis is based on 644 surveys implemented between July 13th and November key informant interviews in Guatemala City and Tapachula. It aims to contribute towards 29th, 2020, in Guatemala and Mexico, partially by face-to-face interviews and partially a solid evidence base to inform targeted responses on the ground, as well as advocacy remotely, by phone. efforts related to the situation of refugees and migrants during the coronavirus pandemic. 62% of respondents were interviewed in Mexico and 38% in Guatemala. 87% of those Results presented in this snapshot are indicative: sample composition varied somewhat surveyed in Mexico were in Tapachula City and the remaining 13% were distributed in for each month and has not been weighted, and may therefore account for some of the other cities such as Ciudad Hidalgo, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Monterrey, Alvaro Obregon, Coahuila, differences in findings. In particular, there are slight differences by month for age and sex, Escuintla, Huixtla and Mazatan, among others. 93% of those surveyed in Guatemala were and larger differences for survey location. in the country’s capital, Guatemala City, and the remaining 7% were distributed in other cities such as San Juan Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla, among others.
    [Show full text]
  • Contents to Our Readers
    http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/index.html http://www.fao.org/ag/portal/index_en.html No. 92, January 2019 Contents To Our Readers 1 Coordinated Research Projects 17 Other News 35 Staff 4 Developments at the Insect Pest Relevant Published Articles 38 Control Laboratory 21 Forthcoming Events 2019 5 Papers in Peer Reports 28 Reviewed Journals 39 Past Events 2018 6 Announcements 30 Other Publications 47 Technical Cooperation Projects 8 In Memoriam 33 To Our Readers The tsetse and trypanosomosis suppression in the Niayes Senegal resulted in drastic reduction in disease transmission, significant increase in milk yields, and a ten-fold increase in the rate of imported more productive exotic cattle with a very positive overall return on investment. Insect Pest Control Newsletter, No. 92, January 2019 In Senegal, as in many other parts of West Africa, African Much credit for the success is given to the adaptive man- animal trypanosomosis (AAT), a deadly disease carried by agement approach of the project, which called for monthly the tsetse fly, has long been a major obstacle to the devel- project coordination meetings with the many different opment of more efficient and sustainable livestock produc- stakeholders, for transparency at all levels and for decision- tion systems. For more than 50 years, the Government of making by consensus, with decisions for moving the pro- Senegal invested in importing more productive improved ject ahead based on scientific evidence. breeds from Europe and elsewhere, but many did not sur- Looking to the future, several countries are considering vive because they had no natural tolerance to AAT.
    [Show full text]