Final Report Summary - AFRICANMIGRANTWOMEN (African Migrant Women)
Further on, the project was interested in the management of the remittances of immigrant husbands towards the countries of origin and on the family changes in their new "homes" in Europe and in Africa. It aspired not only to study the body, the aesthetics of Senegalese and Gambian woman, the functions of age groups the problems of the replacement of second and third spouses and/or their "depreciation", but also to question the masculinity of the husbands. The research also carried out an in depth analysis on certain pathologies like impotence. The project delivers results that have the potential to be expanded or replicated for migrant organizations, African migrant women networks, social workers, professionals, policy makers and to allow for evidence from a new direction and opening up under-researched areas of inquiry. The results helped for the understanding of polygamy practices in Europe and to have a better knowledge on these practices. It will also help professionals (social workers) to extend their know-how in getting involved in depth in the migrant Communities and participate in whole social networking
The fieldwork began in May 2009 and has ended in January 2010 and it was held in Africa and in Europe.
An under-estimated number of African women, settled in Europe, are living in a polygamous situation. They are often considered to be very vulnerable and to be in a high risk in their immigration condition. With all the information gathered and available, the project has drawn new prevention strategies in terms of:
-having more precise information on Senegalese and Gambian women in Europe, mainly in Spain and in France and their practices of polygamy
-helping document the diverse experiences of these women in order to know what is going on for the benefit of policy makers so they can be assured that these kinds of practices are really happening in Europe
-helping organizations such as NGO or other private and public institutions overcome challenges such as inadequate access to the true information on polygamy practices, lack of knowledge among professionals (psychologists, social workers, etc.).
-dealing with co-spouses' substitution and all the legal and informal initiatives the women develop to resist against such practices and mistreatments
-comparing the experiences and the benefits of the project from various perspectives and directions (historical contexts, immigrants and nationals, multi-sited spaces, etc)
-presenting the results that are pertinent for gender strategy planning in workshops, seminars and Master courses in the UK, Spain and in Africa