Freedom Beyond the Boarder: A critical analysis of Afghan Female Refugees' Perception on Freedom following Forced Migration in Denmark: A critical analysis of Afghan Female Refugees' Perception on Freedom following Forced Migration in Denmark
Authors
Roy, Juthika ; Bahrami, Maryam
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-05-30
Pages
92
Abstract
Across Afghanistan’s history, many women have been denied basic rights, and their freedoms have expanded and contracted under different governments. Under the Taliban from 1996 to 2001, women were largely confined to their homes, barred from education, healthcare, and work, required to wear veils, and punished harshly for violating the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law. After 2001, subsequent governments emphasized modernization and women’s development. With the Taliban’s return in 2021, women again face religious extremism and restrictive laws, prompting many to flee. Denmark is among the countries that grant asylum on the basis of gender-based persecution, offering protection. Forced migration profoundly changes these women’s lives: it creates new vulnerabilities as refugees in an unfamiliar society but also, from an egalitarian perspective, opens access to rights that were previously out of reach. Adapting to a new culture can also produce conflicts. This study examines how Afghan women and girls integrate in Denmark through the lens of freedom. The central question is whether they can choose the lifestyles they want in Denmark. The research uses a mixed-methods approach (combining qualitative and quantitative data) and draws on Intersectionality (how overlapping identities shape experience), Social Dominance Theory (how group hierarchies sustain inequality), and Empowerment (gaining agency and control over one’s life). The study finds that perceptions of freedom are relative and shaped by multiple factors, and that the older generation’s views often limit younger women’s preferred life choices. Potential outcomes include forced marriages, non-physical forms of violence, and honor-based shaming of victims. Over time, however, differing views of freedom tend to converge toward the realization of all human rights.
Gennem Afghanistans historie er mange kvinder blevet nægtet grundlæggende rettigheder, og deres friheder har svinget under forskellige styreformer. Under Talibans styre fra 1996 til 2001 blev kvinder i vidt omfang henvist til hjemmet, nægtet adgang til uddannelse, sundhedsvæsen og arbejde, tvunget til at bære slør og straffet hårdt for at overtræde Talibans strenge fortolkning af islamisk lov. Efter 2001 lagde de efterfølgende regeringer større vægt på modernisering og kvinders udvikling. Med Talibans tilbagekomst i 2021 står kvinder igen over for religiøs ekstremisme og restriktive love, hvilket har fået mange til at flygte. Danmark er blandt de lande, der giver asyl på baggrund af kønsbaseret forfølgelse og tilbyder beskyttelse. Tvungen migration ændrer kvindernes liv markant: Den gør dem sårbare som flygtninge i et nyt samfund, men åbner samtidig fra et egalitært perspektiv adgang til rettigheder, der tidligere var uden for rækkevidde. At falde til i en ny kultur kan dog også skabe konflikter. Dette studie undersøger, hvordan afghanske kvinder og piger integreres i Danmark med fokus på frihed. Det centrale spørgsmål er, om de kan vælge den livsstil, de ønsker, i Danmark. Undersøgelsen anvender en mixed-method-tilgang (kombinerer kvalitative og kvantitative data) og trækker på intersektionalitet (hvordan overlappende identiteter former erfaringer), social dominans-teori (hvordan gruppehierarkier opretholder ulighed) og empowerment (at styrke handlekraft og kontrol over eget liv). Studiet finder, at opfattelsen af frihed er relativ og påvirket af flere forhold, og at den ældre generations syn ofte begrænser yngre kvinders foretrukne livsvalg. Mulige konsekvenser omfatter tvangsægteskaber, ikke-fysiske former for vold og æresrelateret udskamning af ofre. Over tid tenderer forskellige frihedsopfattelser dog til at nærme sig hinanden i retning af at realisere alle menneskerettigheder.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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