Sexual and Reproductive Health as an Indicator of Social Integration: The Obstacle of a Patriarchal Culture and Forced Marriage in Migrant Communities

Patriarchal family structure is the paradigm of human relations in many parts of the world. In these societies the relationships are structured on the rigid separation of the sexes and on the different capacity of empowerment of men and women. In migratory processes, loyalties to the traditional model of the patriarchal family often remain unchanged. Migration dynamics intertwine with the marriage strategies of families or communities, and the maintenance of certain traditional practices, including forced marriage, becomes functional to the maintaining of the boundaries of identity and to "traditional" social system. The observation of the sexual and reproductive health of women can provide a good indicator of the integration of cultural communities because it reveals women's capacity for autonomy and self-determination, a fundamental condition for the recognition of their rights and identification with the models and values of democratic society. . The access of women to health and territorial facilities, the repeated abortions, the presence of repeated sexual diseases, knowledge of family planning, knowledge of the language of the host country, the capacity for autonomy and choice on reproduction, the abandonment of behaviors of submission to traditions (endogamous marriages, forced marriages and female genital mutilation) are all indicators useful for understanding the degree of social inclusion of women and the integration of communities in the host country.