Women's collectives and social support: exploring pathways and impacts among forcibly displaced women.

Background

During humanitarian crises, women face both heightened vulnerabilities and a disruption to their social networks. Previous research points to the positive impact of women's collectives in low-income settings, but less is known about the distinct forms, mechanisms, and consequences of the social support that emerges from these collectives, particularly for women affected by conflict. Recognizing the importance of social support in such contexts, this study utilizes the photovoice methodology to examine the dynamics of social support across women's collectives in three distinct settings.

Methods

This study recruited forcibly displaced women participating in women's collectives in Indonesia (

Results

Across all study sites, participants highlighted the importance of five types of informal social support: emotional, instrumental, informational, companionship, and esteem support. Emotional support, one of the most prominently mentioned forms, served to buffer against stressors and enhance mental well-being. Instrumental and informational support facilitated meeting basic needs, accessing resources, and, in Uganda, improving members' physical safety. Companionship support fostered a sense of belonging and shared identity, while esteem support validated members' perspectives and aspirations and bolstered self-worth. In the Jordan collective, esteem support proved especially beneficial in countering the marginalization members experienced in their community.

Discussion

Findings underscore the critical role of women's collectives in providing diverse forms of social support to foster empowerment, agency, and resilience among forcibly displaced women. By centering the voices of participants and employing survivor-centered approaches like photovoice, this study amplifies the perspectives of women within these collectives, contributing to more inclusive and responsive humanitarian interventions. Future research should continue prioritizing women's experiences and research questions, ensuring that interventions address their needs effectively.

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 Seff, Meinhart, Sarraf, Abu Zuhair, Sofia, Atuheire, Lee, Ahmed, Poulton and Stark.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

AA and JS was employed by Sitti Social Enterprise Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.