Last September a team of the Jesuit NGO ALBOAN went to the Moroccan towns of Tangier, Tetouan and Nador, where they met with the delegations of Migrations of the Diocese of Tangier and the Jesuit Refugee Service to dialogue with migrant women from several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The common element in the stories of these women was the suffering from their experiences. They arrived in Morocco through different routes full of dangers: stories of exhaustion, and often trauma due to the violence they suffered or witnessed. While they tried to survive on a daily basis, they were doubtful whether they would be able to reach Europe, or whether it would be better to stay and choose Morocco as a destination country.

The mission is part of the Mieza-ALBOAN Program for the empowerment of African women and girls who suffer violence in situations of refugee and displacement. This is a four-year program that aims to know how women and girls are affected by violence associated with human mobility to promote their recovery, autonomy and well-being.

A first phase of research will be carried out until June 2018, to ensure that the women and girls who are victims of violence express their needs, desires and aspirations. It is planned to make trips to different African countries: Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa.