Suchergebnisse

The Indian movie Mala Aai Vhhaychy ("I Want to Be a Mother" in the Marathi language), in juxtaposition with the article in this issue of Affilia by Rotabi and Bromfield entitled "Intercountry Adoption Declines and New Practices of Global Surrogacy: Global Exploitation and Human Rights Concerns," bring to the surface several cultural, social, ethical, economic, and professional social work issues that I address in this editorial. The movie asks a challenging question in relation to mothering: Does the poor, rural, Gujarati (Indian) mother, who would benefit financially from surrogacy, have any claim to the child she is bearing for an American fertility-touring couple? More questions are raised with the possibility that the child may be born with a handicap, with the response of the commissioning couple, and additional more positive and negative twists in the story. Rotabi and Bromfield's article raises the ethical dilemma as well as human rights concerns arising from international surrogacy, using India as a case example. Both the movie and the article focus on gestational surrogacy by Indian women, for predominantly western couples.

In-depth interviews with 60 repatriated Afghan refugee women on their experiences before and duringwar and exile revealed their significant roles and responsibilities. Thewomen were active in protection, safety, survival, and the reestablishment of their families during this time. Contrary to media presentations of Afghan women as helpless victims, they were social actors who used their networks to face the challenges of war, supported their families during exile, and participated in repatriation. Themes that emerged included the significance of cultural and religious norms and expectations, the social entitlement to receive support, and the obligation to provide support within the family and within their ethnic community. The women's stories reflect resilience in times of stress and optimism for the future that were based on their religious faith. Religion and culture are two important elements in developing social work practice with Afghan women in the aftermath of war and during repatriation.