Page 87 - IJPS-11-6

International Journal of

Population Studies

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Social exclusions of a Burmese refugee woman’s

migration journey in the United States

Jue Wang* and Lan Kolano
Department of Middle, Secondary, and K-12 Education, Cato College of Education, University of
North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America

Abstract
With the rise of global migration, an increasing number of women are seeking
autonomy and opportunity through movement; however, many face systemic
barriers and gendered risks both during their journeys and in host countries. This
article examines the structural vulnerabilities faced by migrant women by tracing
the life story of Aye, a Burmese refugee who resettled in the United States (U.S.). Her
migration journey reflects broader gendered dynamics in global migration. Drawing
on narrative inquiry, this study highlights how exclusion from healthcare, education,
employment, and legal protections shapes women’s migration experiences. It
traces how Aye, despite encountering compounded constraints across migration to
Malaysia and the U.S., continuously negotiated access to essential resources through
self-agency. Her narrative reveals the persistence of gendered expectations within
both public systems and family life, even after resettlement. The article underscores
*Corresponding author:
Jue Wang the importance of equitable access to education, work, and self-development
(jwang88@charlotte.edu) opportunities for migrant women’s survival and autonomy. This study calls for a
Citation: Wang, J. & Kolano, L. more grounded and policy-relevant understanding of refugee integration, one that
(2025). Social exclusions of recognizes equitable access as both a lived necessity and a transformative right for
a Burmese refugee woman’s migrant women.
migration journey in the United
States. International Journal of
Population Studies. 11(6): 81-91.
https://doi.org/10.36922/ Keywords: Migrant women; Gendered migration; Structural vulnerability; Equitable
IJPS025160060 access; Self-agency
Received: April 14, 2025
Revised: June 21, 2025
Accepted: July 16, 2025 1. Introduction
Published online: July 28, 2025 In recent years, cross-border population movements, especially from developing countries
to developed nations, as well as among developing countries, have significantly impacted
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article international relations (Castles, 2017). By 2020, the number of international migrants
distributed under the terms of the had reached 281 million, representing 3.6% of the global population living outside their
Creative Commons Attribution country of birth (UN’s International Organization for Migration, 2024). According to
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, the United Nations Women (2024), women and girls account for roughly half of all
provided the original work is international migrants. They also make up about half of all migrant workers who send
properly cited. money back home, known as remittance senders. Women often migrate to improve their
Publisher’s Note: AccScience livelihoods and economic prospects, among other reasons. For many, migration enhances
Publishing remains neutral with their autonomy, agency, and independence by providing opportunities for a better life.
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional However, it can also expose women and girls to serious risks, including exploitation,
affiliations. human trafficking, forced labor, and gender-based violence (GBV) (Fleury, 2016).

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 81 https://doi.org/10.36922/IJPS025160060