The Invisibles on Their Way into the Unknown: Diasporic Wounds of Migrants and Refugees from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula

Abstract

Abstract:Since the 1960s, a growing number of people from the Horn of Africa have fled human-rights violations in their homelands, seeking refuge in the Arabian Peninsula. Many take the perilous sea route across the Gulf of Aden to war-torn Yemen, mostly unaware of the dangers they will face. This article explores their experiences, relying on oral-history interviews to illustrate the motivations for migration, the dangers migrants face while crossing to Yemen, and the forms of gendered exploitation and violence they face on arrival. By foregrounding their voices and narratives in this understudied migratory pattern, the article draws attention to the systematic human-rights violations that characterize their experiences. Focusing on women's and girls' experiences, it illuminates the ways overlapping vulnerabilities contribute to gender-based violence and exploitation. Finally, it underscores the limits of existing humanitarian provision.