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Gender, Repatriation and Coping Mechanisms in Afghanistan

Armatys Kärreby, Liv LU (2025) EOSK12 20251
Department of Economic History
Abstract
Forced displacement is a growing issue worldwide, driving individuals to flee and leave their
livelihoods behind. Many of those forced to flee in previous years are now undergoing repatriation, with the
number of returns expected to rise. However, Afghanistan’s unstable conditions, particularly for women, pose
economic challenges for returnees. It may restrict their ability to effectively cope with financial strain and lead
to the adoption of negative coping mechanisms. From a gendered perspective, this thesis examines the negative
coping mechanisms used by returnee household heads in rural Afghanistan in 2024. Drawing on the Sustainable
Livelihoods Framework, this thesis highlights how returnee heads of households, internally... (More)
Forced displacement is a growing issue worldwide, driving individuals to flee and leave their
livelihoods behind. Many of those forced to flee in previous years are now undergoing repatriation, with the
number of returns expected to rise. However, Afghanistan’s unstable conditions, particularly for women, pose
economic challenges for returnees. It may restrict their ability to effectively cope with financial strain and lead
to the adoption of negative coping mechanisms. From a gendered perspective, this thesis examines the negative
coping mechanisms used by returnee household heads in rural Afghanistan in 2024. Drawing on the Sustainable
Livelihoods Framework, this thesis highlights how returnee heads of households, internally displaced and
refugees, cope with financial strain to understand the assistance needed to prevent long-term harm imposed by
these coping strategies. The returnees are examined both as a collective group and separately. Based on
secondary data, binary logistic regression models explored coping through borrowing money, selling assets,
restricting consumption, and sending a child to work. The findings reveal that the relationship was insignificant
among all returnee household heads, except for the lower likelihood of female households sending a child to
work. However, among the distinct groups, female heads of refugee returnees were more likely to borrow
money and restrict consumption. At the same time, IDP female household heads were more likely to sell assets,
while less likely to limit consumption and send their child to work than their male counterparts. The thesis offers
insights into the coping patterns among Afghans who have undergone repatriation, suggesting that returnees and
female heads of household are heterogeneous groups within the rural context, and further research should
explore variations within these groups. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Armatys Kärreby, Liv LU
supervisor
organization
course
EOSK12 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Negative Coping Mechanisms, Repatriation, Household Headship, Returnees, IDPs, Refugee, Afghanistan, Sustainable Livelihoods Framework
language
English
id
9191408
date added to LUP
2025-06-03 09:43:18
date last changed
2025-06-03 09:43:18
@misc{9191408,
  abstract     = {{Forced displacement is a growing issue worldwide, driving individuals to flee and leave their
livelihoods behind. Many of those forced to flee in previous years are now undergoing repatriation, with the
number of returns expected to rise. However, Afghanistan’s unstable conditions, particularly for women, pose
economic challenges for returnees. It may restrict their ability to effectively cope with financial strain and lead
to the adoption of negative coping mechanisms. From a gendered perspective, this thesis examines the negative
coping mechanisms used by returnee household heads in rural Afghanistan in 2024. Drawing on the Sustainable
Livelihoods Framework, this thesis highlights how returnee heads of households, internally displaced and
refugees, cope with financial strain to understand the assistance needed to prevent long-term harm imposed by
these coping strategies. The returnees are examined both as a collective group and separately. Based on
secondary data, binary logistic regression models explored coping through borrowing money, selling assets,
restricting consumption, and sending a child to work. The findings reveal that the relationship was insignificant
among all returnee household heads, except for the lower likelihood of female households sending a child to
work. However, among the distinct groups, female heads of refugee returnees were more likely to borrow
money and restrict consumption. At the same time, IDP female household heads were more likely to sell assets,
while less likely to limit consumption and send their child to work than their male counterparts. The thesis offers
insights into the coping patterns among Afghans who have undergone repatriation, suggesting that returnees and
female heads of household are heterogeneous groups within the rural context, and further research should
explore variations within these groups.}},
  author       = {{Armatys Kärreby, Liv}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Gender, Repatriation and Coping Mechanisms in Afghanistan}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}