Intersectional Identities and the Experience of Displacement

Natural disaster and conflict often demonstrates the acute vulnerability of certain groups. Humanitarian and international organizations, such as the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, play a vital role in protecting and providing for those affected, including displaced peoples. International organizations and INGOs ensure access to food, clean water and medical care. While these are necessities for all people, humanitarian organizations often overlook issues such as gender inequality and disability in their provision of aid. This often means the needs of the most vulnerable of people are overlooked. For this reason, greater consideration of intersectionality is needed in order to adequately support all displaced peoples. While organizations are aware of the vulnerability of women, disabled people and LGBTQ people, current policy and practice does not reflect the importance of ensuring that the specific needs of these groups are met. An intersectional analysis of conflicts is necessary for  policy-making. It is important to consider the intersection of different identities with these issues.

 There are many ways in which intersectionality affects the experience of conflict, disaster and displacement. These intersections are deeply rooted in systemic oppression, and therefore pervasive in every aspect of society. While this cannot be sufficiently addressed in situations of humanitarian aid, it is important to strive to try and meet the needs of marginalized groups. The way this manifests is different around the world and in different cases. Here, it is only possible to scratch the surface on how intersectional identities affect the experience of displacement and humanitarian aid.

Women, especially transgender women, are disproportionately affected by conflict and displacement due to existing gender roles and systemic inequality. For example, women are usually the last to flee in times of crisis. Wealth disparity and gender roles limit women’s access to financial resources. This may prevent women from accessing necessary services such as public transportation. Similarly, women are often left in charge of children and elderly parents in times of crisis. Likewise, locating food, water and shelter for the family is often seen as a gendered task. This was evident in the aftermath of the Earthquake in Nepal, where women were put at higher risk as a result. If displaced to a refugee camp, safety is a primary concern for women, especially from sexual violence. UN Peacekeepers and refugee camp volunteers are frequency perpetrators of sexual violence. There are also reports of women being sexually coerced with promises of food and security.

Similarly, the barriers and inequalities that transgender and non-binary people face has an effect on the experience of displacement. Refugee camps and many government organizations use binary categorization, excluding the experiences and needs of transgender and non-binary people. Without disaster and conflict, transgender people are statistically more likely to live in poverty or to be homeless than cisgender people due to structural inequality. As a result, this disparity is exacerbated in conflict situations. As well, transgender people have higher risks of experiencing gender-based violence in refugee camps due to transphobia.

Individuals with disabilities face many specific barriers when they are displaced.  They may be left behind when communities are displaced, may not be able to make long treks and are at higher risk of facing sexual and physical abuse. The disruption of social and healthcare services may prevent people from accessing medications and services they require. Also, many may have become disabled during a conflict or disaster and do not have access to necessary services which could prevent their injuries from becoming permanent. The loss of family members and caretakers may reduce mobility and the accessibility of resources. The Women’s Refugee Commission has examined the intersection between gender and disability, as well as age and social status. Disabled children face higher risk of abuse and neglect. They may be turned away from education and face verbal and physical abuse from others in refugee camps. The stigmatization of disability may lead to extreme isolation creating vulnerability and reducing access to basic healthcare, food, water, shelter and other necessities. This is especially true of elderly disabled people who may be abandoned by family members who can no longer care for them.

 Policy and Practice: Recommendations to Account for Intersectionality

There are many ways that aid organizations can increase intersectionality in their policy. With intersectionality, many factors that impact vulnerable peoples’ access to food are considered. According to UN Women, unequal food distributions remains a flaw in the structure of refugee camps around the world. Equitable distribution of resources will not occur without specific policy that considers barriers to its access. Issues of safety for women and girls severely impact the accessibility of food and water. If food distribution occurs too close to nighttime, the roads to the place of distribution are too dangerous, or the bags are too heavy, then food is not sufficiently accessible to women and girls. Similar considerations are needed for disabled people. Delivering food to those who require it would increase safety and accessibility for these vulnerable groups. Similar considerations about safety and distance distribution are also relevant to schools within refugee camps. Also, proper lighting is necessary so that women can access basic resources. For example, in January 2017 women in a refugee camp in Greece reported to Al Jazeera that they were afraid to use washroom facilities at night because poor lighting created higher risk of attack from people as well as animals.

Gender issues manifest in different ways around the world. Aid cannot be considered ‘one size fits all.’ The needs of different people are affected by factors such as culture and religion. The services provided by aid organizations must fit the specific needs of the people they are meant for. For example, it is necessary to provide culturally appropriate menstrual products for different women around the world.

Also, it is necessary to change the language of humanitarian aid to be gender neutral, and the practices to go beyond binary norms. For example, Nepal legally recognizes transgender people. But after the earthquake in 2015, the government and the UN did not provide aid that was accessible for transgender people. All camps and facilities were divided between men and women, creating an unsafe environment for transgender people. Two categories of gender cannot address the wide range of needs of people affected by displacement. Organizations such as UN Women recognize the gendered experience of displacement, but must step beyond the consideration of the needs and vulnerabilities of cisgender women. It is important to include vulnerable communities in the creation of policy and its implementation. Generally, the support transgender people receive in refugee camps is generated from within their own communities. For example, the Blue Diamond Society in Nepal set up a camp to support the needs of LGBTQ+ people. This was created for and by the LBGTQ+ community, with no support from the government or the UN. Facilitating and supporting the needs of transgender and non-binary people will lead to more effective practices.

Also, workers in refugee camps must be trained to know how to consider disability and other intersectional identities. For example, where possible, it would be useful to include teachers and resources to specifically assist refugee children with disabilities. According to the Women’s Refugee Commission, nearly all disabled people they interviewed during their field research indicated that they were interested in participating in the operations within their refugee camp. This includes policy and planning, community affairs and camp management. However, few positions are generally available for people with disabilities. Allowing disabled people to play active roles within refugee camps will allow for decision-making that is able to more effectively meet their needs. This will also help reduce the vulnerability of disabled people within their communities.

Intersectionality necessary for the inclusion of vulnerable groups in policymaking decisions. It is important to consider the ways in which different identities intersect and lead to different experiences of displacement. Humanitarian aid must use intersectionality and ensure the inclusion of people with intersectional identities in decision-making processes.