“How Do Migrant Muslim Women Negotiate in Slums? Ethnographic Study of Muslim Women Migrants of Khora, Ghaziabad”

Does migration always bring opportunities to the migrants? How does it impact gender? This paper makes an ethnographic study on the Muslim Women in Khora Colony in Ghaziabad and deeply probes the dynamics that affect the conditions of women in urban slum. Khora Colony, which is situated near the national capital of Delhi, has a predominant migrant settlement and the condition of living is very poor. They migrated from the villages of the neighbouring states in search of better job opportunities , but now engaged in petty works such as street hawkers, construction workers, etc.. But, low income and migration impacts women more than men. Migration to new place creates new restrictions on women mobility and access to opportunity. In the survey, it was found that women are restricted to home and do household work. The restriction pervades in almost all aspects of economic and social life such as education of girls, overall conditions and vulnerability. It has also been observed that girls are treated as burden and marriage is more on priority. There is no provision of education for them due to their minority status. The conditions of poverty, structural constraints imposed due to caste and religion degrades their condition further. Ghettoisation, limited social mobility, poor health, poverty and Patriarchy is the major hurdles that affect the women’s participation in social life. This paper will explore how this condition affect the status of women after migration and how education can improve their condition. It also discusses how government is doing in helping their condition.