LIFE EXPERIENCES OF AFGHAN WOMEN IN FINLAND : a study of everyday life experiences of Afghan women in Helsinki Region

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sumbal, Ghaffar and Smriti, Madonna Lama, Life of Afghan Women in Finland, A Study of everyday life experiences of Afghan Women living in Helsinki Region, Diak south, Helsinki, Spring 2014 Language: English, Helsinki-- pages, 47, Appendices, 7. Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, Degree program in Social Services and Community Development, Degree: Bachelor of Social Services. The aim of the research was to show and highlight the everyday life experiences of Afghan women living in Finland, especially in Helsinki region. The majority of South Asian women living in Finland are Afghan women. It aimed to emphasize the culture and religion related issues of those women, who have been living in Finland for more than five years. Moreover it explains their emotional situations, as per their experience and our observation many of them could be possible victims of social exclusion and depression due to residing in a culturally different society. The methodology used to gain reliable data for the research was qualitative. It includes data collection through observations, interviewing professionals working for immigrant women and mainly interviewing Afghan women themselves. Thematic Analysis approach was used for data analysis which helped to study different asepcts of Afghan women’s lives. The research can be helpful to readers, mainly social service providers, policy makers and common Finnish citizens to know the situation of an important minority group of immigrants in Finland, by which customised integration progammes targeted towards these women can be made. Moreover the research can help the Afghan women to understand the integration process better through the life experinces shared by the interviewees in the research. Keywords: Afghan women, cultural, religious, everyday life, immigrant.