On the Road to Europe Gender Norms Among Young Men in the Migrant Community in Serbia

ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE GENDER NORMS AMONG YOUNG MEN IN THE MIGRANT COMMUNITY IN SERBIA QUALITATIVE RESEARCH RESULTS ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE GENDER NORMS AMONG YOUNG MEN IN THE MIGRANT COMMUNITY IN SERBIA Photo: Branko Birač Summary of qualitative research This participative qualitative study was conducted as a part of “Welcome Initiative for Migrant Youth” project that aims to provide adequate protection for young migrants – unaccompanied minors settled in the reception centers in the South of Serbia, through educational workshops and awareness raising in issues like healthy lifestyles, non-violent solution to conflicts, gender equality, positive masculinity, counter trafficking, and others. The project is implemented by CARE International Balkans in partnership with Nexus from Vranje, Center E8 from Belgrade and supported by ADH Germany. Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) research was conducted as the analysis of the situation of young migrants in order to develop a tailored-made curriculum for this specific group. PLA is a research approach used to encourage participants to share knowledge and insight about their community and its needs and to determine ways to address those needs – this method is interactive as it includes target group’s participation in workshops, discussions and various activities. The research was implemented in September 2017, in the reception center in Preševo, south Serbia. It was implemented with two groups of young men from Afghanistan, Pashtuns and Tajiks - 16 participants in total, with eight in each group. They were between 14 and 22 years old, and average age was 18. Young men in two separate ethnolinguistic groups had each passed a three-day program of workshops related to gender, masculinity, socialization of masculinity, power and influence, attitudes about violence, forms, root cause, consequences and experiences of violence, exploring transition from boyhood to manhood, and moving toward change. Recorded audio material from workshops, researcher’s notes, daily evaluations and visual and creative outputs, were all analyzed. RESULTS Gender roles and relations Young migrants from the Middle rights, they gossip etc. Participants East have a complexed perception of report that men are usually associated masculinity, which is, in some areas, with superior values. Young men are different than perception of young aware that majority of differences men from the Balkans and Europe in between men and women are relative general. Numerous risk behaviors, such while biological differences are those as use of psychoactive substances or that are stable. Other differences are risky sexual relations, are not reflection product of socialization and those of masculinity in their culture, but characteristics can be mutual. But, it is rather a weakness. They highly value clear that this mostly stays a possibility, moral behaviors and all other that are and is very rare in practice. Most of in accordance with religious norms. men remain within their social roles for Main role of a man is to protect the most of their lives. and to provide for his family. In that Young migrants often mentioned that context, if a family is in danger a man women are less free and have fewer should defend it, even by use of force. rights than men. Radius of women’s A man that is not up to it is qualified activities is very limited and directed as weak and “wimp”. Thus, in some to home and family. They are mostly cases violence is a means to express at home, taking care of their children, and defend man’s honor. For most family and house. They rarely work important characteristics of an ideal or get an education. There is a very man they note: morality, kindness, clear and stereotypical division of male success. and female roles and duties which is Regarding perception of women conditioned by situation and norms and women’s roles - beside biological in wider social context and therefore and physical specificities, certain the gender-transformative work is characteristics and social roles of challenging as these gender roles and women were mentioned: that they stereotypes need to be addressed. are gentler, more emphatic, have less “Men are more free than women. they want and do whatever they want. They move around, look for job. It is different with women. Things men do outside cannot be They are being controlled.” done by women. Women do house “Rights of men and women are work. In Afghanistan women do different. In Islam, the right of men not feel free, they are under a lot of and women are clear. Two women different pressures. Those kinds of are worth as one man. A woman can laws are passed. They are raised in be worth as two men only if both of the spirit of Islam, and live under them were physically incapable.” those rules. Men can go wherever Expressing emotions Young men report that expressing life. They have a clear goal, but it is emotions such as fear and sadness is not difficult and it takes time to fulfill it preferred and represents a weakness; and that causes the anger. They very they say it is not appropriate for a man rarely communicate with family that to express emotions as social role of a stayed in Afghanistan. Anger is also man is to protect others and as such a consequence of living in a closed should not show those emotions, while area where they do not feel free. They among women it’s more common. believe men express anger more easily, Their expressions of anger vary, but but also that women from their groups majority admits they are full of anger. show anger more easily when on It is a consequence of different events European ground. and frustrations they experienced in “We have seen so many bad things in then use against you. Others would Afghanistan. Our hearts are made of find you weak. People use your fear.” stone. How can we cry? We saw a lot ”Here, we are like in a prison. If we of killed and butchered people. We were free, we would be much happier spent all our tears in Afghanistan. We even if sleeping outside.” did not cry in some situations because we were in shock, we were burying “We are depressed because of people without their extremities. My uncertain future and expectations. We father would call me every day to dig do not know where we stand. We only graves and earn money in that way. think about that, day and night. We How can I cry?” are hopeless, we do not know what the future will look like. Everybody here “Men have no room for fear. If you has some talent and goals they want show to somebody that you are afraid to accomplish in Europe. Now that of him, then he would harass you goal and talent slowly fades away.” more. It is not good for a man to show his weak point that somebody else can Violence against women Young men agree that they witnessed is an unwritten rule in Afghanistan violence against women. They say that a woman can be hit if she does it happens in the family, but in the not respect two or three warnings. community as well. Some young Some of them say they would be men say they would be ashamed if ashamed if they would not act in this they would commit violence against way. It appears it is almost standard women. In their communities if a procedure: two warnings, then violence woman commits adultery, that almost occurs. Additionally, cause of violence always ends with violence against that can also be if a woman does not take woman. Also, young men say that there care of children. “I would warn her once or twice, I would hug her because I love her.” and if she would not listen to me I “I go to work. I tell my wife to take would hit her. That is in our tradition. our child to school. I came back I would hit her if she does not do earlier; the child is hungry and dirty. what I say, if I saw her talking to an It is normal that a man would be unknown man, or if she does things angry in such situation. A man would behind my back.” provide anything a woman asks for, “If my wife does not listen to me, I but it is expected of her to fulfill her would give her two warnings and then obligations.” I would hit her, but after five minutes Opposite of these attitudes and “I would never hit her. Not even if she opinions, there was a different attitude would be unfaithful. I would divorce of a young man who was completely her. Hitting will not change a thing. against violence. When you do not respect your wife, that is also violence.” Violence – perception and experience For young men who participated in They have different opinions when it the research, first associations about comes to peer relations and violence. violence are mostly linked with war Some say that they usually respond events and their status as refugees. to violence by violence, or else they Also, they had no problems identifying would be harassed in the future as well. different forms of psychological Others do not react in the same way; violence: humiliation, mockery, threats they believe that violence does not etc. contribute to someone’s masculinity. “I am quite skilled when it comes to did not react in that way, they would psychological violence. That is in my harass me every day.” nature. I even abuse myself in the “You do not show your strength if mirror. When someone offends me you commit violence.

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