The Status of Women in the Syrian Migrant Family Structure: Example of Ankara Province

Abstract

Immigration is a movement of displacement that has affecting societies economically, socially, culturally and politically. During the civil war in Syria that has started in 2011, hundreds of thousands of people have migrated abroad to save their lives. Women and children have been the most disadvantaged group of victims of this war. The war had many religious, social, economic, political and cultural consequences. One of them is the change in the family structure and the status of women. The immigration process caused the family structure of both host and guest countries to change. Immigration has made the role and status of women even more significant. Many families have migrated to different parts of Turkey due to internal disorders, war and political pressure in Syria. The aim of this research is to address the change in the family structure of Syrian migrant women who migrated to Ankara Province and reside in the districts of Mamak, Altındağ, Yenimahalle, Keçiören after immigration. This study has importance in the means of addressing the difference that immigration creates in women's status and responsibilities in the family additional to the religious, socio-cultural, economic and educational aspects. In this study, in which gereksiz qualitative research methods were used, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 Syrian migrant women who had forcibly migrated to Turkey and reside in Ankara. Interviews range from 45 minutes to 3 hours. In addition, some time was spent with the social group with which the study was carried out while working in the field. By appliying in-depth interviews, it is aimed to figure out the family structure and statuses of Syrian migrant women in Ankara. As a result of the interviews, topics such as demographic data, socio-cultural structure and family structure were discussed. As a result of the research, it was seen that forced immigration had impacts on the lives of female participants depending on their religious, social and cultural structures. These impacts have caused changes in the lives of the participants and their domestic relationships.