Gender-Based Violence and the Reintegration Challenges of Ethiopian Women Returnee Migrants from Saudi Arabia: In Case of Woldia City, Northern Ethiopia

This study explores the lived experiences of Ethiopian women returnee migrants from Saudi Arabia, with a specific focus on the multifaceted forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) they endured in Saudi Arabia and how this trauma affected their reintegration process in Woldia city. Drawing on trauma-informed and intersectionality frameworks, the research analyzes qualitative data from individual interviews and focus group discussions to reveal the structural, emotional, and psychological dimensions of GBV, as well as the systemic failures in reintegration programming. The findings show that returnees experienced widespread physical, emotional, and sexual abuse exacerbated by the kafala system, racial discrimination, and legal precarity in KSA. Upon returning, women often encountered stigma, social isolation, broken family ties, and limited access to economic opportunities or psychological support. Reintegration programs in Ethiopia were found to be inadequate, largely focusing on vocational training while neglecting the critical need for psychosocial and trauma-responsive care. The study underscores the urgent necessity for comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and gender-responsive reintegration frameworks that account for the layered vulnerabilities of GBV survivors. It calls for a paradigm shift in policy and practice to ensure the dignity, safety, and recovery of returnee women.