Tamasheq Repatriated Refugees Demographic Data, 2001

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>This research aimed to analyze the demographic consequences of being refugees for Malian Kel Tamasheq (Tuareg) people by comparing demographic data which were collected in 1981 with new data (included in this dataset) collected in 2001. In 1981, the population were 100% nomadic pastoralists, transhuming in and around the Inner Niger Delta and had an unusual demographic regime for a rural West African population.<br> <br> From 1991-95 a rebellion in northern Mali forced the majority of high status Tamasheq from this area to flee to refugee camps in Mauritania where some spent up to 5 years. They were repatriated in 1996-97. Many socio-economic and political changes along with the actual experience of being persecuted and forced to flee suggested that the whole process may also have had significant repercussions for demographic behaviour. This study was undertaken to establish in what ways their demography has changed in the intervening twenty years and to examine the contribution of different factors to such change: for example, changing household economy, sedentarisation, disappearance of servile labour force, access to health and education services in the refugee camps, changing political awareness, and changing relationships with other ethnic groups in their areas of origin.<br> <br> Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. A single round demographic survey in 2001 – largely covering the same population as in 1981 - provides the base-line quantitative data for analysis of demographic change. An anthropological study, undertaken over 18 months focused on four communities (two nomadic, two sedentary) and peoples' experiences of the rebellion and repatriation period. This component included participant observation, in-depth interviews, life histories and a multi-round survey of 67 households over a year focusing on economic organisation and well-being, livelihood strategies, migrations and movements. These multi-round households included nomadic and sedentary, refugee and non-refugee, high status and low status.<br> <br> The quantitative data for this study are available as data files, but the interview material has been included in the background documentation. Some of the interview material is in French.<br><B>Main Topics</B>:<br>The demographic dataset comprises indiviudal level quantitative demographic data on 8447 rural Kel Tamasheq living in 3 areas in Western Mali: the Mema (west of the Inner Niger delta), the Daouna (east and south east of Gargando) and Faguibine (some Tamasheq communities east and south east of Lake Faguibine). Individual level data were collected for all individuals living in these communities. For the Mema, 100% coverage of the de facto population was attempted in January 2001. For the Faguibine 100% coverage of the communties around the intensive study site was attempted, with the exception of a few nomads who were inaccessible and one community which refused. In the Daouna 100% coverage of the communities to the east and south of Gargando was attempted. Most of the people interviewed had been refugees in Mauritania during the rebellion, and the majority in the Mema and a substantial proportion in the Daouna had been covered in the 1981 survey. Birth histories were collected for all present ever-married women, and marriage histories for all present ever-married men and women. Contraception data were collected for many men and women (although many also refused).