Coping Strategies Among Urban Refugee Women in Nairobi
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
COPING STRATEGIES AMONG URBAN REFUGEE WOMEN IN NAIROBI: A CASE STUDY OF EASTLEIGH AND KAYOLE WAWERU IRENE WANJIKU A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN RURAL SOCIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI JANUARY 2014 DECLARATION This research project is my original work and has not been submitted for another degree qualification of this or any other university. Signed………………………………… Date……………………………………. Waweru Irene Wanjiku REG. NO C50/67461/2011 This research project has been submitted for examination with my approval as the University supervisor. Signed………………………………… Date……………………………………. Supervisor: Dr. Beneah Mutsotso ii DEDICATION I dedicate this study to my family for the spiritual and moral support accorded and for their unwavering encouragement. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost is to thank Almighty Father who gave me the chance to start and complete the study and sustained me all the way through. I also extend my sincere gratitude to my husband Stephen Waithaka who gave me his support throughout my research and encouraged me to go on. My thanks also goes to my three sons; Clement, Emmanuel and Michael. My thanks also goes to my sister Njoki, my house help Gatwiri and my friend Agatha. I also extend my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, the late Dr. Pius Mutie. His guidance and knowledgeable ideas in class and this particular study was excellent and valuable. May his Soul rest in eternal peace. In gratitude I also acknowledge Dr. Beneah Mutsotso, for his supervision and guidance in completing the study after the demise of Dr. Mutie. Thanks for making a difference in my academic status. Lastly, many thanks to all who helped and supported me during the time of the study. May the Lord bless you all. iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS DRA Department of Refugee Affairs ECE Early Childhood Education GER Gross Enrollment Ratio IRC International Rescue Committee OAU Organization of African Union RCK Refugee Consortium of Kenya RH Reproductive Health SGBV Sexual Gender Based Violence UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNICEF United Nations Children‘s Fund UNWFP United Nations World Food Programme WRC Women Refugee Commission v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION…………………………………………………………………………………ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF ABBREVATIONS ...........................................................................................................v TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………………...........xii ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………………xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………..1 1.1 Background…………………………………………………………………………………....1 1.2 Problem Statement………………………………………………………………………….....2 1.3 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………………....4 1.4 General Objective……………………………………………………………………………..4 1.5 Specific Objectives……………………………………………………………………………4 1.6 Significance of the Study………………………………………………………………….......4 1.7 Scope and limitations of the Study…………………………………………………………....5 1.8 Definition of key terms……………………………………………………………………......5 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………........7 2.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………7 2.1.1 Urban Refugees……………………………………………………………………………..7 2.2 Security Risks Faced by Urban Refugee Women………………………………………….....9 2.2.1 Sexual and Gender Based Violence………………………………………………………..10 2.2.2 Responding to Women at Risk…………………………………………………………….11 2.3 Access to Education………………………………………………………………………….13 2.3.1 Challenges Facing Education in Refugee situations……………………………………….16 2.3.1.1Barriers to Access………………………………………………………………………...16 vi 2.3.1.2 The Protracted Nature of Displacement………………………………………………….17 2.3.1.3 Urban Displacement……………………………………………………………………...17 2.3.1.4 Physical Integration without Social Integration………………………………………….18 2.4 Economic Survival for urban Refugees……………………………………………………...19 2.4.1 Policy Environment Affecting Economic Survival for Urban Refugees………………….22 2.4.2 Economic Coping Strategies……………………………………………………………….23 2.5 Access to Reproductive Health………………………………………………………………24 2.6 Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………27 2.7 Theoretical Framework………………………………………………………………………27 2.7.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..27 2.7.2 Coping Theory……………………………………………………………………………..27 2.7.3 Feminist Theory……………………………………………………………………………29 2.7.3.1 Gender Inequality………………………………………………………………………..29 2.7.4 Summary of Theoretical Framework……………………………………………………...30 2.8 Conceptual Framework………………………………………………………………………30 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……………………………………..33 3.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..33 3.1.1 Site selection and description ……………………………………………………………...33 3.2 Research Design ……………………………………………………………………………..33 3.3 Unit of Analysis and Observation……………………………………………………………34 3.4 Study Population……………………………………………………………………………..34 3.4.1 Sample Size and Sampling Procedure……………………………………………………..34 3.5 Methods and Tools for Data Collection……………………………………………………...36 3.5.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..36 3.5.2 Household Interview……………………………………………………………………….36 vii 3.5.3 Key Informant Interview…………………………………………………………………..37 3.5.4 Focus Group Discussion…………………………………………………………………...37 3.4.5 Secondary Sources………………………………………………………………………....38 3.6 Data Processing and Analysis……………………………………………………………….38 3.7 Ethical Issues………………………………………………………………………………...38 3.8 Challenges Encountered…………………………………………………………………….39 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALAYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND PRESENTATION.40 4.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..40 4.2 Response Return Rate of Interview Schedule………………………………………………..40 4.3 Demographic Characteristics ………………………………………………………………..40 4.3.1 Residence of Respondents…………………………………………………………………41 4.3.2 Nationality of respondents…………………………………………………………………41 4.3.3 Education Background of Respondents……………………………………………………42 4.3.4 Year of Arrival in Kenya…………………………………………………………………..43 4.3.5 Age of Respondents………………………………………………………………………..43 4.3.6 Marital Status………………………………………………………………………………44 4.3.7 Number of Children ……………………………………………………………………….44 4.4 Security Risks encountered by urban refugee women ……………………………………....45 4.4.1. Safety in Nairobi……...…………………………………………………………………...45 4.4.2. Security Risks at Home…………………………………………………………………...45 4.4.3 Security Risks at Business Sites………………………………………………………….. 46 4.4.4 Security Risks at Work Place……………………………………………………………...47 4.4.5 Sexual and Gender Based Violence…………………………………………………….....48 4.5 Refugee Children access to Education………………………………………………………48 4.5.1 Children Attending School………………………………………………………………...49 viii 4.5.2 Type of School Attended………………………………………………………………….49 4.5.3 Access to Education ……………………. ………………………………………………...50 4.5.4 Challenges in accessing Education to Children…………………………………………....51 4.5.4.1 Challenges to accessing Pre – school education ……………………….………………..51 4.5.4.2 Challenges to accessing Primary education …………………………………………….51 4.5.4.3 Challenges to accessing secondary education …………………………………………..52 4.5.4.4 Challenges to accessing Post Secondary education …………………………………….52 4.6 Access to Reproductive Health………………………………………………………………53 4.6.1 Accessing Reproductive Health care………………………………………………………53 4.6.2 Refugee Community and Reproductive Health……………………………………………54 4.6.3 Challenges in Accessing Reproductive Health Care…………………………….……...…54 4.6.3.1 Challenges in Accessing Safe Delivery………………………………………………….54 4.6.3.2 Challenges in Accessing Postnatal care……………………………………………….....54 4. 6.3.3 Challenges in Accessing Family Planning……………………………………………....54 4.7 Refugee Livelihood Activities ………………………………………………………………56 4.7.1 Source of Income………………………………………………………………………......56 4.7.2 Type of Source of Income…………………………………………………………………56 4.7.3 Economic Activities Carried out by Refugee Women…………………………………….57 4. 7.4 Challenges in Carrying out the Economic Activities……………………………………..58 4.8 Coping Strategies adopted by refugee women ………………………………………….......59 4.8.1 Security risks coping strategies…………………………………………………………….59 4.8.2 Access to education Coping strategies …………………………………………………….60 4.8.3 Access to Reproductive Health Care coping strategies……………………………………61 4.8.4 Livelihood coping strategies……………………………………………………………….64 ix CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION………………………………………………………………………...66 5.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..66 5.2. Summary of the findings…………………………………………………………………….66 5.2.1 Security Risks faced by Urban Refugee Women ………………………………………….66 5.2.2 Urban Refugee Women‘s Children Access to Education………………………………….67 5.2.3 Urban Refugee Women Access to Reproductive Health……………………………….….67 5.2.4 Economic Survival Strategies for Urban Refugee Women………………………………..67 5.3 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………...68 5.4 Recommendation…………………………………………………………………………….69 5.4.1 UNHCR/Agencies …………………………………………………………………………69 5.4.2 National and Country Government………………………………………………………...69 5.4.3 Areas of Further Research…………………………………………………………………70