An Anthropological Journey of Belonging: Somali Women Re-Imagine Home in Wellington, New Zealand

<p>This thesis provides insights into refugee-background Somali women’s active productions of belonging in New Zealand, after resettlement in Wellington communities. It explores how Somali women actively negotiate belonging between three key processes: place, identity and acceptance. It does this by situating their resettlement in the context of the Somali civil conflict. I argue that home in New Zealand is based on emotional and physical attachments to multiple locales across space and time, as enacted and embodied through performances of ‘Somali woman’ identities across social fields. I show how intersectional differences produce diverse experiences of re-imagining home, and the ways that a ‘Somali woman’ identity is changing through the actions of ‘edgewalking’ participants. It also explores how belonging is a two-sided process that is affected by discourses of tolerance in New Zealand. This thesis is structured through both anthropological and feminist frameworks and thus emphasises the voices and positions of the participants at all times. The understandings presented here unfolded from interviews with eight participants, four Somali women and four non-Somalis who had extensive connections with the Somali community. Using the stories from these eight participants, this thesis demonstrates the importance of the homeland, Somaliness and tolerance in creating a sense of belonging in Wellington communities after resettlement processes.</p>

An Anthropological Journey of Belonging: Somali Women Re-Imagine Home in Wellington, New Zealand

<p>This thesis provides insights into refugee-background Somali women’s active productions of belonging in New Zealand, after resettlement in Wellington communities. It explores how Somali women actively negotiate belonging between three key processes: place, identity and acceptance. It does this by situating their resettlement in the context of the Somali civil conflict. I argue that home in New Zealand is based on emotional and physical attachments to multiple locales across space and time, as enacted and embodied through performances of ‘Somali woman’ identities across social fields. I show how intersectional differences produce diverse experiences of re-imagining home, and the ways that a ‘Somali woman’ identity is changing through the actions of ‘edgewalking’ participants. It also explores how belonging is a two-sided process that is affected by discourses of tolerance in New Zealand. This thesis is structured through both anthropological and feminist frameworks and thus emphasises the voices and positions of the participants at all times. The understandings presented here unfolded from interviews with eight participants, four Somali women and four non-Somalis who had extensive connections with the Somali community. Using the stories from these eight participants, this thesis demonstrates the importance of the homeland, Somaliness and tolerance in creating a sense of belonging in Wellington communities after resettlement processes.</p>

"You can never be on one side alone": Some Young Somali-Kiwi Women's Narratives about Identity, Resettlement and Community Development in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>This research investigates how young Somali women are navigating through the resettlement process while negotiating their own identities in Wellington, New Zealand. It is important as it addresses two main research gaps: 1) it focuses on research with young Somali women at university and 2) it offers a strength-based analysis. The research also addresses important development concerns about how former refugees can better contribute into their host societies. Employing the use of participatory methods within a feminist qualitative methodology, I created a project that enabled the young women to voice their opinions regarding identity construction, cultural maintenance and their goals for the future. I conducted approximately 150 hours of ethnographic research at organisations that catered to former refugee needs. I found a young female Somali student who worked as my Cultural Advisor and enhanced my credibility and access within the Somali community. I then conducted a focus group and five individual interviews with young Somali women to hear their narratives about their resettlement experience and their advice on how to improve the process for others. I conducted five interviews with key informants at organisations that provide support services for former refugees. The key informants gave the policy perspective on refugee resettlement as well as advice on how support services and the government can approve the transition for former refugees. The results of this study revealed that the young women did feel tension at times negotiating their Somali culture and that of their host society but found benefits in both. The importance of the family resettling successfully was vital for the young women especially the wellbeing of their mothers and other female elders. The key informants echoed these sentiments and voiced the necessity for more women-focused support services. The young women also will be facing a second resettlement process through their emigration to Australia as they search for more job opportunities and a better Somali cultural connection.</p>

"You can never be on one side alone": Some Young Somali-Kiwi Women's Narratives about Identity, Resettlement and Community Development in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>This research investigates how young Somali women are navigating through the resettlement process while negotiating their own identities in Wellington, New Zealand. It is important as it addresses two main research gaps: 1) it focuses on research with young Somali women at university and 2) it offers a strength-based analysis. The research also addresses important development concerns about how former refugees can better contribute into their host societies. Employing the use of participatory methods within a feminist qualitative methodology, I created a project that enabled the young women to voice their opinions regarding identity construction, cultural maintenance and their goals for the future. I conducted approximately 150 hours of ethnographic research at organisations that catered to former refugee needs. I found a young female Somali student who worked as my Cultural Advisor and enhanced my credibility and access within the Somali community. I then conducted a focus group and five individual interviews with young Somali women to hear their narratives about their resettlement experience and their advice on how to improve the process for others. I conducted five interviews with key informants at organisations that provide support services for former refugees. The key informants gave the policy perspective on refugee resettlement as well as advice on how support services and the government can approve the transition for former refugees. The results of this study revealed that the young women did feel tension at times negotiating their Somali culture and that of their host society but found benefits in both. The importance of the family resettling successfully was vital for the young women especially the wellbeing of their mothers and other female elders. The key informants echoed these sentiments and voiced the necessity for more women-focused support services. The young women also will be facing a second resettlement process through their emigration to Australia as they search for more job opportunities and a better Somali cultural connection.</p>

Population based cohort study of fetal deaths, and neonatal and perinatal mortality at term within a Somali diaspora

Background Somali women deliver at greater gestational age with limited information on the associated perinatal mortality. Our objective is to compare perinatal mortality among Somali women with the population rates. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study from all births that occurred in Minnesota between 2011 and 2017. Information was obtained from certificates of birth, and neonatal and fetal death. Data was abstracted from 470,550 non-anomalous births ≥37 and ≤ 42 weeks of gestation. The study population included U.S. born White, U.S. born Black, women born in Somalia or self-identified as Somali, and women who identified as Hispanic regardless of place of birth (377,426). We excluded births < 37 weeks and > 42 weeks, > 1 fetus, age < 18 or > 45 years, or women of other ethnicities. The exposure was documented ethnicity or place of birth, and the outcomes were live birth, fetal death, neonatal death prior to 28 days, and perinatal mortality rates. These were calculated using binomial proportions with 95% confidence intervals and compared using odds ratios adjusted (aOR) for diabetes, hypertension and maternal body mass index. Results The aOR [95%CI] for stillbirth rate in the Somali cohort was greater than for U.S. born White (2.05 [1.49–2.83]) and Hispanic women (1.90 [1.30–2.79]), but similar to U.S. born Black women (0.88 [0.57–1.34]). Neonatal death rates were greater than for U.S. born White (1.84 [1.36–2.48], U.S. born Black women (1.47 [1.04–2.06]) and Hispanic women (1.47 [1.05–2.06]). This did not change after analysis was restricted to those with spontaneous onset of labor. When analyzed by week, at 42 weeks Somali aOR for neonatal death was the same as for U.S. born White women, but compared against U.S. born Black and Hispanic women, was significantly lower. Conclusions The later mean gestational age at delivery among women of Somali ethnicity is associated with greater overall risk for stillbirth and neonatal death rates at term, except compared against U.S. born Black women with whom stillbirth rates were not different. At 42 weeks, Somali neonatal mortality decreased and was comparable to that of the U.S. born White population and was lower than that of the other minorities.

Somali society's concept of stewardship: A study from Islamic perspective

This research’s topic revolves around a sensitive and strange issue that usually causes imbalance in family bonding and undermining stewardship in Somali society, which is the issue of leaving maintenance of the family to the women due to lack of supporter and carer for them. Therefore, it makes the highest population of the women in that society engage in different kind of jobs, which gives them the power of controlling homes and the society. The researcher adopts the inductive research methodology to gather pieces of evidence on the custodian of stewardship and how to control the family from the word of Allah and the sayings of the prophet Muhammad, as well as books and articles written by Somali scholars and researchers and United Nation report regarding the women guardianship in Somali society. The researcher also adopts analytical method to analyse the texts gathered from the texts related to the topic, and followed by interview, which is used to collect data related to the topic from nine respondents; four among them are elites, another four are laymen, and the president of (Somali Scholars Association), then analyse the interview and derive the effects of misunderstanding the stewardship on Somali community. In conclusion, the research finds that the civil war is one of the factors contributed to strengthening women stewardship in the Somali community, and that the Somali men misunderstood the true meaning of guardianship due to lack of deep understanding of it. The researcher also observed that addiction of men to the “khat weed” is another factor contributes to the men unseriousness in the Somali community and results to family separation in the community, hence, it leads Somali women to go out for work and get more power over the men, which causes emotional and educational deprive for Somali children, and consequently leads to the behavioral deviation in them. It is also found through the research that lack of state’s security and protection for women, absence of a tangible family regulation, loss of moral supports from religious scholars.

Testing the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally adapted physical activity intervention for adult Somali women

Despite growing numbers in the USA, immigrant populations are underrepresented in existing physical activity (PA) research, in particular Muslim immigrant women. The current study is a pilot evaluation of a culturally adapted evidence-based PA intervention for adult Somali women. Stratified randomization was used to assign participants from a sample of 27 Somali women, aged 18 to 65, to a PA group or a waitlist control group. Bicultural Somali community research team members delivered a 12-week culturally adapted intervention available in English and Somali in a community-based setting. Process and outcome evaluation assessed changes in PA, self-efficacy for PA, access to PA resources, and wellbeing as well as feasibility and satisfaction with the program. Participants in the PA group increased their moderate to vigorous PA significantly more than those from the waitlist group from baseline to post-intervention (2 (SD = 15) to 100 (SD = 53) vs 12 (SD = 21) to 32 (SD = 44) minutes per week). Participants in the PA group had significantly greater scores in wellbeing at post-intervention compared to the waitlist group though there was no significant change from pre- to post-intervention for either group. Participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the program and preliminary evidence supports the general feasibility and acceptability of the program. Findings show that a culturally adapted intervention increased engagement in PA and was feasible and acceptable within a pilot sample of Somali women.

Barriers and Facilitators to Modern Contraception Among Married Women in Conflict Affected Town of Mogadishu, Somalia

Background - With a maternal mortality ratio of 692 per 100,000 live births and modern contraception prevalence of 1%, understanding factors hindering Somali women from using modern contraception is key to developing and implementing locally adopted public health responses. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore barriers and facilitators to the use of modern contraception among married women in Mogadishu. Methods - We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 21 married women aged >18 years, living in different neighborhoods in Mogadishu between July—December 2018. We recruited the participants using a convenience sampling method. We used thematic analysis and adapted ecological model as a framework for the synthesis.Results – The findings show that systemic, individual and socio-cultural barriers hinder women’s ability to access modern contraception. Barriers identified by this study include: Health communication messages and contraceptive information provided by health providers, prevalent religious fallacies among women and fear of permanent infertility upon modern contraception. Conclusion - Training health providers in the principles of modern contraception, in addition to the medical ethics that govern their responsibility to provide correct and relevant information to their patients, is vital for increasing modern contraception use among Somali women. The findings of this study may be used for designing public health interventions that promote acceptance and the use of modern contraception among both women and men in Somalia.