Voices of Those Left Behind: A Study of the Portrayals of Yemeni Women in Migration Fiction

This paper explores the representation of Yemeni women in selected migration literature, to elucidate the manifold challenges they face due to patterns of male migration. Using Gendered migration theory the study shows how migration narratives portray traditional gender roles within Yemeni households, such as divisions of labour, provider roles and decision-making powers. Through a qualitative analysis of diverse narratives, the research examines how migration impacts and transforms domestic structures and family dynamics, necessitating an increased assumption of caregiving responsibilities and provider roles by the women left behind in Yemen. The texts highlight the economic hardships and strains endured and the resilience and resourcefulness displayed by these women in navigating their new circumstances and adapting to sustain their livelihoods. However, the narratives also reveal various social repercussions of migration, such as enduring family separation, fracturing social networks, and marginalization of women's socially productive functions. By investigating the lived experiences of Yemeni women as depicted in migration literature, this study deepens conceptual understanding of their complex realities and underscores the imperative for empowering women and fostering equitable gender relations within Yemeni social organizations. The findings contribute empirical depth to the existing research on migration studies, gender analyses, and understandings of the social dynamics within Yemeni society.