Introduction
Methods
Search strategy
Eligibility criteria
Data extraction and analysis
Results
Author and year | Country | Study period | Study type and methodology | Objective | Population | Key findings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Açıkalın et al. (2021) [48]. | Türkiye | March 2020—June 2020. | Qualitative; semi-structured interviews. | To determine how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced integration of women refugees into Turkish society. | 50 refugees. | The COVID-19 outbreak affected refugee women’s integration in an unprecedented way, especially with regard to education, economy, and social and family life. Their access to healthcare was also compromised. Refugee women stated that the pandemic positively influenced the security dimension of integration. |
Angulo-Giraldo et al. (2021) [49]. | Peru. | March 19—April 30, 2020. | Qualitative; Retrospective correlational study with an online survey. | To identify the impact generated by the media on Venezuelan migrant women in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to know how it relates to their emotional state and to compliance with health recommendations. | 385 migrant women from 2 associations of Venezuelan migrants residing in Lima. | There is an association between media and emotional impact; none of the analyzed media provided reassuring information but disturbed the audience. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the media sharpened migrant women’s feelings of concern, fear, terror, and anger. |
Golesorkhi et al. (2020) [45]. | United States of America (USA). | May—July 2020. | Qualitative; interviews and community observation. | To highlight the significance of community efforts in providing gender-responsive measures that address the specific needs and challenges of refugee women. | 15 refugee women and representatives of organizations working with refugees. | Refugee women’s livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in several ways. These included job loss and barriers to access to healthcare, becoming essential workers and assuming additional caretaking roles, and finding themselves again in situations of limited mobility and social isolation. |
Karajerjian (2021) [50]. | Lebanon. | 2021. | Qualitative; FGDs and semi-structured interviews. | To understand how refugee women who escaped the Syrian war cope with their exile and how it affects their mental health and well-being. | > 50 migrant women who have been visiting primary healthcare centers in Beirut and 2 social workers. | Syrian refugee women in Beirut had to face several hardships, such as paying rent, finding a job, accessing aid, and continuing to perform their caring roles. The COVID-19 pandemic has multiplied their personal and economic challenges, affecting participants’ mental health and overall well-being. |
Lightman (2021) [51]. | Canada. | January 1—March 30, 2021. | Qualitative; in-depth interviews. | To uncover the lived experiences of immigrant women healthcare aides (HCAs) working in Calgary's long-term care (LTC) sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. | 25 immigrant women working as HCAs in LTC in Calgary. | The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the working lives of immigrant women employed in LTC facilities on a daily basis. Their experiences of economic and social exclusion have been exacerbated by the pandemic. |
Lusambili et al. (2020) [52]. | Kenya. | October 2020. | Qualitative; in-depth interviews. | To improve understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on women refugees' access to and utilization of antenatal, delivery and postnatal care. | 15 patients from antenatal and postnatal care who are migrant women and 10 healthcare workers (HCWs) and community health volunteers. | Within the first 8 months of COVID-19, refugee women preference for home deliveries increased and health care workers reported having observed reduced utilization of services and delayed care-seeking. Fear, economic challenges, and lack of migrant-inclusive health system policies were key factors influencing home deliveries and delayed and low uptake of facility-based care. |
Marabello et al. (2020) [47]. | Italy. | Not indicated. | Qualitative; ethnographic study. | To investigate notions of visibility/invisibility of migrants in Italy and how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and also related to the virus and its perception. | Diseased adult men, sex-trafficked women, and mothers of young children (0–5 years). | The COVID-19 pandemic had several repercussions on migrants and refugees living in reception structures in Bologna, and interrupted their personal trajectories and projects. After the implementation of policies that rendered invisible the condition of migrants in the months prior to the pandemic, migrants returned to a position of visibility as essential service workers. |
Melov et al. (2021) [53]. | Australia. | November 18—December 16, 2020. | Qualitative; semi-structured interviews. | To explore the experience of maternity clinicians serving a high migrant population during the COVID-19 pandemic. | 14 maternity care clinicians working in a tertiary referral hospital in Sydney. | COVID-19 related travel restrictions resulted in loss of valued family support for migrant women’s families. As a consequence, male partners had to replace the role of absent overseas relatives. |
Mutambara et al. (2021) [54]. | South Africa. | July—October 2020. | Qualitative; interviews. | To illustrate the ways in which COVID-19 has exacerbated refugee women's insecurity and intensified structural violence which renders them vulnerable. | 26 refugee women. | The COVID-19 pandemic, together with mitigation measures, has impacted refugee women well-being, exacerbated their insecurities, and intensified structural violence. If left unaddressed by government, NGOs and civil society organizations, the impacts of the pandemic could lead to long-term violence and insecurities. |
Nardon et al. (2021) [55]. | Canada. | August 2020. | Inductive, qualitative and elaborative study; online questionnaire. | To explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted skilled newcomer migrant women’s labor market outcomes and work experiences. | 69 migrants; exact legal status not specified. | The COVID-19 pandemic pushed skilled immigrant women towards unemployment, lower -skilled or less stable employment. Most study participants had their career trajectory delayed, interrupted, or reversed due to layoffs, decreased job opportunities, and increased domestic burden. The gendered nature of the pandemic and the reliance on work-from-home arrangements and online job search have increased immigrant women’s challenges due to limited social support and increased family responsibilities. |
Phillimore et al. (2021) [46]. | United Kingdom (UK), Türkiye, Tunisia, Sweden, Australia. | April 14—April 28, 2020. | Qualitative; interviews. | To examine the condition of forced migrant survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). | 52 forced migrants that were also SGBV survivors (48 female, 4 male) and service providers (e. g. SGBV personnel, psychologists and social workers). | The conditions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic have added an additional layer of disadvantage for forced migrant women survivors of SGBV. The experiences of forced migrants have been shaped by multiple intersecting inequalities: those with irregular immigration status, without access to public funds, and with caring responsibilities experienced worse outcomes. |
Sabri et al. (2020) [56]. | USA. | Not indicated. | Qualitative; interviews. | To understand immigrant survivors and service providers’ perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on survivors’ health and safety, the quality of services and suggestions on how to mitigate the risks for increased intimate partner violence (IPV). | 45 immigrant women. 17 key informants/ service providers with experience in serving survivors of IPV. | All participants described a reciprocal and reinforcing relationship between increased life stressors and IPV due to the COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures put in place. Support strategies have also been suggested from the participants. |
Mingo (2021) [57]. | Cuba. | Not indicated. | Analysis of a single interview whose content has been systematized. | To examine from the perspective of race, gender, and class the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the participant’s personal and work life as well as in her relationship with the host country. | 1 migrant woman. | The COVID-19 pandemic caused uncertainty and pessimism. The woman mentioned in the article experienced episodes of discrimination due to the intersectionality of race, gender, and class. |
Simic (2021) [58]. | Australia. | Not indicated. | Personal essay. | To offer a personal reflection on life in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular on what it means for a migrant woman with a complex, traumatic past to be forcibly separated from her family during lockdown. | 1 migrant woman. | The COVID-19 pandemic triggered personal struggles such as forced separation and causing trauma from the past to come to light again. |
Characteristics of the studies
Migrant women
Author and year | Type of migrant | Home country | Host country | Length of stay in the host country | Type of disaster experienced in the host country |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Açıkalın et al. (2021) [48]. | Refugees. | Afghanistan (3), Iraq (6), Somalia (7), Syria (34). | Türkiye. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Angulo-Giraldo et al. (2021) [49]. | Reported only for some participants: applicants for refugee status; migrants carrying a passport with humanitarian visa; with a temporary permit to stay. | Venezuela. | Peru. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Golesorkhi et al. (2020) [45]. | Refugees. | Not indicated. | USA. | Since 2011. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Karajerjian (2021) [50]. | Refugees. | Different regions of Syria, primarily Deir Ez-Zor, Aleppo, Reef Aleppo, Idlib, Ar-Raqqa. | Lebanon. | Reported for 3 women: from 2013 (2 years), from 2015 (1 year). | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Lightman (2021) [51]. | Landed immigrants. | Bosnia (1), Democratic Republic of Congo (1), Eritrea (2), India (7), Nigeria (3), Philippines (9), Romania (1), Sudan (1). | Canada. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Lusambili et al. (2020) [52]. | Refugees. | Antenatal: Somalia (6), Tanzania (2), Uganda (1), Eritrea (1); Postnatal: Somalia. | Kenya. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Marabello et al. (2020) [47]. | Refugees or asylum seekers. | Not indicated. | Italy. | Information reported only for a woman (1 year). | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Melov et al. (2021) [53]. | Not indicated. | Not indicated. | Australia. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Mutambara et al. (2021) [54]. | Refugees. | Democratic Republic of Congo (16), Burundi (7), Rwanda (3). | South Africa. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Nardon et al. (2021) [55]. | Skilled migrants; refugees. | 26 different countries, specified for 10 women: Algeria (1), Bangladesh (1), Brazil (3), China (1), Egypt (1), Iran (1), Nigeria (1), Yemen (1). | Canada. | Less than 5 years. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Phillimore et al. (2021) [46]. | Forced migrants. | Albania, Camerun, Congo, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Iraq, Lebanon, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, Türkiye. | UK, Türkiye, Tunisia, Sweden. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Sabri et al. (2020) [56]. | Not indicated. | The ethnicity, but not the exact country of origin, of some survivors is mentioned: Asian, African. | USA. | Not indicated. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Mingo (2021) [57]. | Not indicated. | Cuba. | Spain. | 10 years. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Simic (2021) [58]. | Skilled migrant. | Former Yugoslavia (Bosnia). | Australia. | The author had been traveling for ten years but was not able to obtain any long - term visa before entering Australia. At the time of writing the article she had been living in Australia for 15 years and she has been holding an Australian passport for almost 8 years. | COVID-19 pandemic. |
Vulnerability pathways
Legal status
Moderator: So, the migrants don’t qualify for the Linda mama mtoto?Respondent [Community Health Volunteer]: They qualify, but the program through NHIF [National Health Insurance Fund] refunds for deliveries for hosts [Kenyans] only, but for the migrants there is no refund. So, the facility normally says that they are doing a useless job. That is what they say. Just last week, we had like four migrants from Uganda. They delivered while I was there present, but they were saying that they are doing a useless job. (Lusambili, p. 5) (Host country: Kenya).
Poverty conditions
I was working at this factory where we were packing plastics. For us it was already difficult because we had gone for 3 months without working and we were not being paid and when they said lockdown that was it, they never paid us. (Mutambara, p. 708) (Home country: Rwanda; host country: South Africa)
For people like us who are self-employed and into buying and selling goods it was difficult because we could no longer sell our products because everyone was now locked in their houses. (Mutambara, p. 707-708). (Home country: Burundi; host country: South Africa)
I don’t have any benefits. I cannot go to the dentist. I cannot go to a massage. I cannot go to take my daughter to psychology, psychiatry, whatever, because she has some anxiety problem since this Covid started. I cannot take her because it costs money. (Lightman, p. 6) (Home country: Romania; host country: Canada)
[The landlord] wanted his money and he came, and he cut our water and electricity, so we were really suffering. I was sleeping in the dark with my child. (Mutambara, p. 710) (Home country: Burundi; host country: South Africa)
There is this Non-Profit organization, I don’t recall their name. I contacted them seeking help and they took my details and whatnot, my asylum and all and only for me to realize that they never helped me with anything. And when I tried to WhatsApp them, I realized that they had blocked me on their number, and I went and looked for their social media page and they had also blocked me. (Mutambara, p. 717) (Home country: Democratic Republic of the Congo; host country: South Africa)
[Migrant women] do not have money and cannot afford to go to private hospitals as they are very expensive. … Some of the refugee women who were expectant would even deliver alongside the road because they did not have money. They went through difficulties. (Community health worker, Lusambili, p. 5) (Host country: Kenya)
Respondent: Yes, I got some mothers post-natally [post natal] that wanted me to guide them on how to get birth certificates. You know when you deliver at home it gets hard to get a notification. I got quite a number whom I had to guide on the process of getting birth certificates. They had to report to the chief.Moderator: That is a long process.Respondent: You know a sub-chief had to be paid. Everything is money here in Kenya.(Community health worker, Lusambili, p. 4) (Host country: Kenya)
Pre-existing health conditions
It brings fear, this Corona affected us with fear, there is a fear to even go and get medication for blood pressure at the hospital because I will be thinking that maybe if I go there and get into contact with one person who has Corona then I will die. (Mutambara, p. 714) (Home country: Burundi; host country: South Africa)
I had a very sharp stomach pain and I went to the clinic but the way the nurses received me. They said they cannot help me because they only have to treat people for Coronavirus. They never attended to me and I was just sitting there in deep pain and then had to go back home. Since then, I have been sick, I was having flu. I never went back to the hospital and then I used lemon, ginger and garlic, that is what I used. I never went back to the hospital because I was scared of how the nurses would treat me because the last time, they were even rude to me. (Mutambara, p. 714-715) (Home country: Burundi; host country: South Africa).
Limited agency
Gender inequality
The man is just drinking beer all the time. If you ask where did you get money to buy beer when we do not even have money for food, it will be trouble, they just want to drink beer and the other thing is that because they are not working and they are having pressure, all the pressure they direct at us – the women. So, we as women, we are suffering. (Mutambara, p. 712) (Home country: Burundi; host country: South Africa)
If you are in the same house with an abusive partner, anything could be a trigger. If you can’t get out, then don’t get into any compromising situation. Try to stay quiet, to be as nice as you can. (Sabri, p. 1304) (Host country: United States)