This qualitative research engages with the social contours of return migration and reintegration focusing on gender aspects inherent to the reintegration process.
Whilst gendered analysis has become increasingly mainstream in studies on migrant integration, the incorporation of gender analysis in the study of reintegration is still less frequently applied (c.f. Anghel/Fauser/Boccagni 2019). In this light, our research focus is to elicit the ways in which gender plays out in the return and reintegration process of returnees and in the institutionalised support. Our aim is to contribute to a more nuanced discussion surrounding gender dynamics inherent to reintegration. The second objective is to invite to think of ways how to address gender-related challenges more appropriate in the international and national return and reintegration landscape, so as to avoid the reproduction of gender inequalities within the existing return support infrastructure.
The study is based on a multi-sited ethnography, using a variety of fieldwork methods. We focused on three groups of returnees: 1) migrants seeking institutional support before returning to Gambia, Guinea or Senegal, 2) returnees only seeking support after arrival, and 3) returnees seeking no support. In order to investigate the temporal dynamics of return processes, we opted for a longitudinal study design.
The study shows that in the West African countries under study, a return is commonly viewed as the opposite of a successful life and simply not envisaged. Hence, migrants return to a hostile environment, in which they face numerous economic, social and psycho-social obstacles. These challenges vary according to the society’s expectations and reflect the dominant gender roles.
Furthermore, families and communities play a crucial role in shaping the multi-dimensional reintegration process of returnees. Considering the family, a ‘negotiated return’ – with the consent of the family – facilitates the reintegration process for both female and male returnees.
Moreover, return migrants are victims of gender-based stigma. Female returnees are predominantly stigmatised for returning alone, while male returnees are stigmatised for returning empty-handed. Given returnees’ gender-related challenges, gaps in the return and reintegration support landscape regarding gender-sensible approaches need to be addressed.
Lastly, it was found that the reintegration process of female and male returnees is still very fragile and far from complete between the first and second interviews (T1 and T2). Thus, joint efforts consisting of material and non-material institutional support and of informal support (e.g. family and community members) are required to enable returnees to cope with their complex reintegration processes.