Assessing the Reasons for Migration and the Social Problems Faced by Women Migrant Returnees from the Middle East in the Reintegration Process: The Case of Irob, Adigrat and Mekelle Towns

External migration, particularly movement to the Middle East as a domestic worker is a common phenomenon of the study areas. Due to this, more people are flowing to the Middle East from the study areas in the pursuit of a better future. Migrants face problems after they cross borders and enter a new home. Given all the resilience they have, they survive all the grim realities in the foreign soil and come back home. Similarly, at home, they will be challenged by a different environment which is unique to what they were familiar with. This makes the reintegration process difficult. Among the problems worth to mention are the different social problems. Therefore, the study was designed to assess the social problems faced by women migrant returnees in the reintegration process. 50 returnees and 27 office and Non-governmental organization representatives’ total 77 samples were selected using purposive sampling but it was 35 of the questionnaires which were presented to the sample returnees were analyzed due to redundancy of responses (respondent error). Questionnaires with closed and open ended questions were administered personally and data regarding the social problems were collected. In addition, FGD was held with 8 individuals which represented relevant institutions i.e. from, zonal and woreda Women's Affairs Bureau one official which represent each office, from religious institutions-the major ones (Islam, Orthodox, Catholic)one representative from each, from MOLSA (Ministry of Social Affairs) Zone and Woreda office. Small and micro enterprises, commerce and industry, youth affairs office, Kebele administration one representative from each office was used for group discussion. Frequency tables were used to organize the data and it was also analyzed using thematic qualitative data analysis method. By using the mentioned method significant social problems were identified. It is found out that there was social exclusion which made the reintegration process very difficult. Some of the returnees were found out to be psychologically weak and mentally sick. In conclusion, such problems are resulted with inappropriate treatment from the family as well as the society. In addition, institutions were not playing their role in smoothing the reintegration process. One important reversing mechanism is establishing rehab centers.