The Non-Governmental Organisational Support Given to African Migrant Women When Integrating in Austria
Okai, Mary Abena (2020)
2020
Master's Programme in Global Society
Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta - Faculty of Social Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2020-11-12
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202010267473
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202010267473
Tiivistelmä
The thesis aims to describe the support available for the African migrant woman integrating in Austria. It investigates what integration challenges this social group faces in Austria. Secondly, the study identifies the interventions Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have for African migrant women and how this supports the integration of these women in Austria. In seeking answers to these questions, six expert interviews were conducted with two migrant NGOs in Austria as cases studies for this thesis.
Influenced by the intersectional theoretical discourse, the thesis identifies that the combined identities of the members in this group influence their integration experiences in Austria. The findings reveal that being marginalised and having a weak social support system challenges the social group. These are barriers that make African migrant women vulnerable as they face a problematic integration in Austria.
With Austrian integration purported as assimilative in its orientation, I studied what NGOs offer for alleviating the recognised challenges of the migrants. We also explore the reasons justifying support from the NGOs. I identify that NGOs focus on providing basic services, developing capacities and thirdly, giving voice to migrants. Also, the justification for the support given against the spectrum of migrant integration dimensions reveals that support offered concentrates on the structural and cultural integration of the social group. Emotional integration interventions of support are less in focus for NGOs, although this dimension of integration is a need for the social group considering its dominant marginalisation challenges. Based on the findings of the study, particular emphasis should be payed to African migrant women when structuring integration modalities in Austrian society.
Influenced by the intersectional theoretical discourse, the thesis identifies that the combined identities of the members in this group influence their integration experiences in Austria. The findings reveal that being marginalised and having a weak social support system challenges the social group. These are barriers that make African migrant women vulnerable as they face a problematic integration in Austria.
With Austrian integration purported as assimilative in its orientation, I studied what NGOs offer for alleviating the recognised challenges of the migrants. We also explore the reasons justifying support from the NGOs. I identify that NGOs focus on providing basic services, developing capacities and thirdly, giving voice to migrants. Also, the justification for the support given against the spectrum of migrant integration dimensions reveals that support offered concentrates on the structural and cultural integration of the social group. Emotional integration interventions of support are less in focus for NGOs, although this dimension of integration is a need for the social group considering its dominant marginalisation challenges. Based on the findings of the study, particular emphasis should be payed to African migrant women when structuring integration modalities in Austrian society.