Forced Migration And Scientific Knowledge Sustainability Among Internally Displaced Women In Northern Nigeria
Mmecha Helen Oziri
Keywords: Forced migration, gender, science, IDPs, post-conflict recovery
Abstract
Forced migration is a challenge to human capital preservation, especially
in conflict-prone areas of the Global South. This study interrogates the
sustainability of scientific knowledge among internally displaced women
in Northern Nigeria, a region characterized by high rates of displacement. The study investigated the impact of forced migration on science education, retention of scientific knowledge, gender-based barriers to learning and participation in science during displacement and the adaptive strategies and support systems available to women. The research was guided by human capital theory and knowledge sustainability theory. A cross-sectional method was adopted to obtain data from a purposively selected sample of 279 internally displaced women and in-depth interview responses from 24 participants. Data analysis was through descriptive statistics and content analysis. Findings reveal that forced migration leads to significant disruption to science education among displaced women due to the collapse of educational institutions and lack of access to scientific resources; gender-based barriers to science education, practice, and transmission of knowledge include caregiving responsibilities, insecurity, limited access to targeted support schemes to rebuild scientific human capital, and cultural norms. Informal adaptive strategies adopted to promote scientific knowledge through peer learning, household practices
and community roles appear precarious in the absence of institutional support. The study concludes that forced migration due to conflict and insurgency in Northern Nigeria systematically undermines women’s scientific knowledge and skills. Gender-responsive educational and humanitarian interventions are critical for post-conflict recovery and
inclusive development in affected regions.
Author Biography
Mmecha Helen Oziri
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria
Email: [email protected]