Mothering from the Margins: Ethnographic Reflections on the Gendered Politics of Rohingya Mothers in India

Abstract

This article analyses the everyday experiences of stateless Rohingya refugee women mothering and raising families within refugee settlements in Delhi. Centering the narratives of refugee women, I argue that motherhood is a site for the governance of migration, where insecurities are felt and agency may be expressed. First, I illustrate the tensions between the gendered expectations on Rohingya mothers — rooted in intersecting social, cultural and familial norms — and the insecurities they face as a result of their displacement in India. These gendered expectations increase women's caregiving and social reproduction responsibilities while simultaneously limiting their mobility, access to employment, resources, and social support. Secondly, I demonstrate how Rohingya mothers continuously negotiate a sense of security for themselves and their children against the insecurities engendered by formal governance systems of the Indian State. Finally, I explore how non-state humanitarian organizations and NGOs play a crucial role in the governance of refugee women, shaping not only their access to resources and aid but also women's identities and roles as mothers. As a result, Rohingya women become key actors linking state and non-state governance to the everyday practices of motherhood.