Migration-induced separation: Perspectives of Ghanaian women left behind

The literature on women left behind due to husbands’ migration presents mixed findings. However, studies exploring these women's interpretations of family separation due to their husbands’ geographical dislocations are limited. To fill this gap, this study examines how Ghanaian women left behind due to their husbands’ migration interpret migration-induced family separation. Filling this scholarly gap is important as it provides insights into these women's feelings and expectations regarding their husbands’ migration. Our findings suggest that these women's lived experiences of their husbands’ migration shape how they feel about family separation—reminding us not to view these wives solely as remittance recipients, but as individuals in affective relationships with their husbands, whether positive or negative. Based on in-depth interviews with 44 participants, this paper demonstrates that the embodied experiences of these women influenced their interpretation of family separation. The interpretations of both categories of women left behind coalesce around pessimistic, optimistic, and ambivalent perspectives. Their ambivalence in particular demonstrates that the uncertainties of family separation cannot be reduced simply to gains or losses but rather are complex. Overall, this study builds on the existing literature by contributing new findings that comparatively integrate the experiences of both women whose husbands migrate internally and those whose husbands migrate internationally.