Women and Forced Migration: Inclusively Examining Access to Care at the Axes of Chronic Health and Gender-Based Violence

Forced migration occurs when people are displaced from their homes to escape harmful situations including human rights violations, and/or environmental disasters. Currently, over 40 million women and girls have been forced to migrate worldwide. Most have been racially discriminated and over 70% have been exposed to gender-based violence (GBV) including human and sex trafficking, exploitation, and forced marriage. Health impacts of GBV include chronic health issues including hypertension, diabetes, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Canada’s population of women forced to migrate is steadily growing. However, access to timely and appropriate health services remains uncoordinated and ineffective. Upon arrival to Canada, women are left to self-navigate exclusionary and fragmented pathways to health care while also managing the effects of forced migration. In this research, the experiences of these women will be gathered and examined toward generating recommendations for enhanced access to safe and effective health care. This project responds to national and global calls to address a significant gap in knowing how to deliver timely and safe care to women impacted by forced migration and managing the chronic health sequelae of GBV.