Large Number Of Syrian Refugees Research Articles

Can refugees improve native children's health?: evidence from Turkey

Abstract Following the most dramatic migration episode of the 21st century, Turkey hosted the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world. This paper assesses the impact of the arrival of Syrian refugees on the Turkish children's health, with a focus on height – a standard nutritional outcome. Accounting for the endogenous choice of immigrant location, our results show that Turkish children residing in provinces with a large share of refugees exhibit a significant improvement in their height as compared to those living in provinces with fewer refugees. Against other potential channels, a refugee-induced increase in maternal unemployment and the associated increase in maternal care seem to explain the observed positive effect on children's health.

Little Aleppo: The neighbourhood experiences of Syrian refugees in Adana, Turkey, ‘poor to poor, peer to peer’

The current refugee regimes (national/international and EUropean) present significant limitations in the ways they deal with refugee flows. However, both refugees and the host societies are able to develop their own agencies and strategies against such confines. This article pieces together the place-making and reterritorialisation efforts of Syrian refugees, the impact of their arrival on and interaction with the local population in the neighbourhoods of Adana in Turkey that has hosted the largest number of Syrian refugees and have become known as ‘Little Aleppo’. The analysis of Syrians’ experiences that emerge in their new settlements sheds new light on the ways in which urban refugees are able to increase their own agency and choose the solution(s) most appropriate to their own particular circumstances by establishing ‘poor-to-poor, peer-to-peer’ contacts, rather than depending on the few choices offered to them through refugee regimes. The locals, in return, are motivated by the newcomers’ presence to reassess their own socio-economic positions and choices in the land of nation states, even though encounters with the refugees may at times elicit negative feelings.

Integrated Wastewater Management for the Protection of Vulnerable Water Resources in the North of Jordan

The protection of vulnerable groundwater resources and their optimal management is essential for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to meet current and future water demands. Our overall objective was to analyse the water situation in the district of Bani Kinana, which has received a large number of Syrian refugees in the past, resulting in an increased water demand, which in turn leads to local water shortages and puts tremendous pressure on local groundwater resources. An integrated wastewater resources management (IWRM) approach to protect groundwater resources and to reduce the risk to local communities and ecosystems was developed, and the most cost-effective wastewater treatment system solution was identified, based on the ALLOWS tool (Assessment-of-Local-Lowest-Cost-Wastewater-Solutions). The results show that a large volume of drinking water is directed to the Jordan Valley and it is recommended that this water should be retained to meet current needs and the projected future demand of 8.3 MC in 2050. The ALLOWS tool revealed that the current practice of wastewater disposal by tanker is the costliest scenario in the long-term and will cause the pollution of groundwater resources. A tailored solution, such as the implementation of a cost-efficient semi-centralized wastewater treatment plant, would contribute significantly to protecting vulnerable water recourses.

Should German Courts Prosecute Syrian International Crimes? Revisiting the “Dual Foundation” Thesis

AbstractShould Germany be prosecuting crimes committed in Syria pursuant to universal jurisdiction (UJ)? This article revisits the normative questions raised by UJ—the principle that a state can prosecute serious international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed by foreigners outside of its territories—against the backdrop of increasing European UJ proceedings regarding Syrian conflict–related crimes, focusing on Germany as an illustrative example. While existing literature justifies UJ on the basis of universal prohibition of certain atrocities, this creates residual normative issues. Alternatively, this article applies the “two-tiered test” derived from the “dual foundation” thesis of the Eichmann judgment, in which the normative appropriateness of UJ is evaluated against both accounts of universal prohibition and the specific politics surrounding the prosecution. It contends that the large number of Syrian refugees in Germany means that Germany, in particular, should initiate Syrian conflict–related UJ proceedings to prevent continued harm and recognize the political agency of refugees. Ultimately, the article suggests UJ should normatively be thought of as a domestic, rather than international, political event.

Impact of Managerial Empowerment on Job Performance: A Pragmatic Investigation on Female Syrian Refugees in Turkey

AbstractThe Syrian crisis created major security challenges for the international community in the Middle East since the beginning of the second millennium. This crisis has led to a massive influx of forced migrants to the neighboring countries of Syria, which has impacted on their economies that barely meet the needs of the native population. The United Nations and NGOs took serious steps to deal with this crisis through a strategy to empower refugees. Hence, the major goal of this article is to investigate the impact of managerial empowerment on job performance. The study population was represented by female Syrian refugees in Turkey, which has hosted the largest number of Syrian refugees. The data were collected using a purposive homogeneous nonprobability sample that was made up of 1,244 female Syrian refugees working in Turkey, with a response rate of 62.20 percent. The data were analyzed by the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. The study findings showed that the level of managerial empowerment was high, while the level of job performance was moderate. Moreover, findings showed that there was a positive impact of structural empowerment and psychological empowerment on job performance. This article made clear contributions to the development of the conceptual framework of empowerment theory in the most turbulent contexts. Besides, it provided a set of recommendations to managers of organizations that employ female Syrian refugees to focus on the empowerment strategy as one of the human resource strategies that would enhance job performance.

Resettlement Experiences of Syrian Refugees in Gatineau, Quebec

Quebec has resettled a large number of Syrian refugees since 2015 through state and private sponsorship, two types of refugee sponsorship that provide distinct forms of support. While privately sponsored refugees join their sponsor where they reside, those who are government sponsored are generally resettled outside of large urban centres under a policy of regionalisation of immigration. We examine the case of a small city, Gatineau, in order to highlight the role of the local context in the resettlement experiences of government- and private- sponsored refugees in relation to language learning and job integration.

Measles and mumps outbreaks in Lebanon: trends and links

BackgroundLebanon has experienced several measles and mumps outbreaks in the past 20 years. In this article, a case-based surveillance of both measles and mumps outbreaks in Lebanon was carried out in an attempt to outline factors contributing to the failure of elimination plans and to provide potential solutions. The relationship between the outbreaks of both diseases was described and explored.MethodsA retrospective descriptive study of confirmed cases of measles and mumps in Lebanon between 2003 and 2018 collected from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health Epidemiological Surveillance Unit public database was carried out. The information collected was graphically represented taking into consideration dates of reported cases, age groups affected, and vaccination status.ResultsThe mean number of measles cases was 150.25 cases/year in the 1–4 years age group, 87 cases/year in individuals aging between 5 and 14, and 63.68 cases/year in those > 14 years old. In the latter group, only 18.05% were unvaccinated. The mean number of mumps cases was 30.4 cases/year in the < 4 year age group and 53.8 cases/year in the 10–19 years age group. During the study period, every spike in measles cases was followed by a similar spike in mumps. 9.66% of measles cases occurred in individuals who received at least 2 doses of the vaccine, 52.26% in the unvaccinated, and 38% in those whose vaccination status was undetermined.ConclusionsMeasles in Lebanon is a disease of the pediatric population, but adults remain at risk. Outbreaks of mumps followed those of measles and were mainly among adolescents. Presence of a large number of Syrian refugees in the country may further complicate the situation. Vaccination activities need to be intensified.

Syrian Refugees in Jordan: Burden or Boon

The growing number of Syrian refugees in Jordan broadens the importance of exploring Jordanians’ attitudes toward increasingly protracted Syrian refugees. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which demographic and socio-psychological variables shape Jordanians’ attitudes toward Syrian refugees. The study design is mainly quantitative with a qualitative technique to support and expand upon the study findings. Data were collected from 199 Jordanians over a sixteen-week period in 2015. Quantitative data were analyzed using a hierarchal regression method. The results reveal that attitudes toward Syrian refugees in Jordan are determined by issues such as unemployment and pressure on resources. Income, geographical location and patriotism were found to have statistically significant influence on Jordanians’ attitude toward Syrian refugees. Jordanians who live in the North of the country (large number of Syrian refugees reside in this area), high income Jordanians, and Jordanian with high level of patriotism hold the least positive attitudes toward Syrian refugees.

Vulnerability Continues for Syrian Refugee Children

Turkey hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees. The birth rate of Syrian newborns in Turkey increases day by day and they also need intensive care and other therapies. Here we report the case of a Syrian infant who had permanent vision loss after a series of events that reflects the cultural and language barriers as well as the social injustice faced by the refugees.

Looking Through the Multicultural Glass: Re-Examination of Syrian Refugee Children Education in Turkey

Turkey presents a unique picture as the host of the highest number of Syrian refugees after the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011. According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2018), Turkey has more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees half of whom are school-aged children. These children have limited access to their basic human right: receiving quality education. Fewer than half of approximately one million school aged (ages 5 to 18) Syrian refugee children could receive regular education services in Turkey (Directorate General of Immigration Affairs, 2016). Turkey welcomed a large number of Syrian refugees without taking necessary steps in its education system. Embracing cultural diversity via multiculturalism, and multilingual education, one needs to direct the attention of the audience to the long-term struggle of refugee children in Turkish education system and draw a conceptual framework for quality education and excellence in teacher education. The present paper is an attempt to highlight the role of multicultural education; more specifically through the lens of multicultural literacy practices. Highlighting the contributions of various genres of different ethnic and racial backgrounds such as songs, poetry, fiction, (auto)biographies, multicultural literacy could increase cultural awareness and understanding of pupils, teachers, administrators and the communities, and could help establish enriching learning experiences for Turkish and Syrian children. Multicultural literature provides a meaningful platform affirming differences and showing cultural connections, revealing social issues, necessitating action against injustice, and embracing diverse cultures. When implemented with care, multicultural literacy could increase academic achievement of ethnic minority and at-risk students, heighten cultural awareness and understanding of all students, and provide meaningful learning opportunities for all. The present paper aims to delve into the relationship among English as a lingua franca, Syrian refugee children education, and the theoretical underpinning of multicultural and multi-ethnic education in relation to English language instruction in Turkey.

Evaluating the Provision of Health Services and Barriers to Treatment for Chronic Diseases among Syrian Refugees in Turkey: A Review of Literature and Stakeholder Interviews

Background: While Turkey hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, the provision of health services for chronic disease among Syrian refugees in Turkey has been inadequate and understudied. This paper explores Turkish healthcare policies surrounding Syrian refugees’ access to health services for chronic diseases. Methods: We conducted a literature review and supplementary stakeholder interviews to evaluate the provision of chronic health services and the most common barriers to healthcare access among Syrian refugees in Turkey. Results: Though access to treatment for displaced Syrians has improved throughout the past five years, five primary barriers persist: registration procedure regulations, navigation of a new health system, language barriers, fear of adverse treatment, and cost. Conclusions: To drive improvements in healthcare for chronic diseases among Syrian refugees in Turkey, we recommend making registration procedures more accessible, developing more healthcare options in patients’ native language, increasing human resources, and advocating for more research surrounding chronic health conditions among refugees.

Hemodialysis Experience of a Large Group of Syrian Refugees in Turkey: All Patients Deserve Effective Treatment

Background/Aims: Refugee dialysis is a worldwide growing dilemma with limited experience. This report presents the largest hemodialysis (HD) patient registry data of Syrian refugees in Turkey. Methods: Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and dialysis practice data of 345 Syrian HD patients during one year were collected and analyzed. Results: There were 345 prevalent Syrian HD patients at the end of 2016. Majority of the patients were placed in the Southeast Anatolian Region. The majority of the patients (74.8%) are in the age range of 20-64 years. Dialysis vintage in Turkey is less than 12 months in 20.8% and less than one month in 29.3% of patients. The vascular access was arteriovenous fistula in the majority of patients (72.5%). Kt/V is over 1.7 in 57%, serum albumin is above 35 g/L in 65.8% and hemoglobin level is more than 100 g/L in %65.2 of the patients. The ratio of patients with serum phosphorus level of 1.13-1.77 mmol/L was 56.2%. Twenty Syrian HD patients (14 male, 6 female) died within the year 2016 and annual mortality rate was 5.7%. Conclusion: This study with the largest number of Syrian refugees undergoing maintenance hemodialysis showed good dialysis practices, acceptable values for dialysis adequacy and biochemical parameters along with lower mortality compared to native HD population of Turkey. Longer follow up will enrich the knowledge related to care of refugee population in all over the world.

Evaluation of purified protein derivates test at tuberculosis dispensary in Hatay, Turkey, applied to Turks and Syrian refugees (2012-2015).

The aim of the study was to evaluate results of purified protein derivates (PPD) test applied at the Tuberculosis Dispensary between 2012-2015 in Hatay, Turkey, where a large number of Syrian refugees have migrated since the Syrian civil war began in 2011. PPD test records from the Electronic Tuberculosis Management System at the Tuberculosis Dispensary from 2012-2015 were analyzed based on nationality, age groups, BCG scar availability, and PPD reaction. The annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) was calculated based on years for each age group in Turks and Syrian refugees and the trend was evaluated. Student-t, Chi-square, and Mantel-Haenszel tests were used in statistical analyses, p < 0.05 was considered significant. In total, 5,255 PPD tests were made, 15.5% were Syrian refugees. BCG scar was missing in 48.5% of Turks and 87.3% of refugees (p < 0.001). The 0-5 age group represented the lowest rate (Turks 3.2%, refugees 4.3%) and the 19-64 age group represented the highest rate (Turks 51.1%, refugees 54.1%) of positive PPD reaction among individuals without BCG scar. Among individuals without BCG scar, more positive PPD reactions developed in refugees of the 6-18 group than in Turks (Turks 16.9%, refugees 46.4%, p < 0.001). Among individuals with BCG scar, more positive PPD reactions developed among refugees of the 0-5 (Turks 7.8%, refugees 24.0%, p = 0.049) and 19-64 (Turks 36.6%, refugees 58.8%, p = 0.028) age groups. ARTIs between 2012-2015 were 0.2%, 1.0%, 1.3%, and 1.4% among Turks, (except 2012) 2.3%, 0.3%, 2.4% among refugees in the 0-5 age group, 1.1%, 2.0%, 1.7%, and 1.5% among Turks, and 8.5%, 6.6%, 7.3%, and 2.4% among refugees in the 6-18 age group, respectively. Higher positive PPD reactions and ARTIs were found among Syrian refugees, more specifically in the 6-18 age group.

Profiling information needs and behaviour of Syrian refugees displaced to Egypt

Profiling information needs and behaviour of Syrian refugees displaced to Egypt

Refugees, xenophobia, and domestic conflict

What factors influence attitudes towards refugees? Do negative attitudes towards refugees also influence attitudes towards conflict in the host countries? Previous studies suggest that an influx of refugees, and locals’ reaction to them, may destabilize receiving countries and lead to conflict. In particular, actual or perceived negative effects of refugees’ presence, such as increased economic competition with the locals, disruption of ethnic balance in the host country, and arrival of people with ties to rebel groups may lead to an increased likelihood of civil conflict in countries that receive refugees. These effects can lead to instability by changing the locals’ incentives and opportunities of engaging in violence. Indeed, some studies find a positive correlation at the cross-national level between influx of refugees and conflict in receiving countries. We contribute to this literature by experimentally manipulating information about the externalities of hosting refugees. We conducted a survey-experiment in the summer of 2014 in Turkey, a country that hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees. We examine how different messages about the possible effects of hosting refugees – increased economic burden, disruption of ethnic balance, and ties with rebels, as well as a positive message of saving innocent women and children – affect locals’ perceptions of the refugees and their attitudes towards the Turkish-Kurdish peace process. We find that some messages cause locals, especially majority non-Kurds, to hold more negative views of the refugees, and in some cases to view them as a threat. Generally speaking, this information does not affect support for the peace process within Turkey. Rather, fundamental factors, such as partisanship, and previous exposure to conflict are better predictors of attitudes towards peace.

Motherhood in the shade of migration: A qualitative study of the experience of Syrian refugee mothers living in Turkey.

Turkey receives the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world. Some of these refugee women become mothers in Turkey. This paper reports on a qualitative, descriptive study that investigated the experience of seven Syrian women migrants who gave birth in Turkey, and explores their experiences of transition to motherhood in a foreign country. The research identified that aspects of transition can be clustered under five main themes: difficulties during the pregnancy period, giving birth in a foreign country, problems of refugee mothers, milestones in life of refugee mothers, and influence of cultural beliefs of refugee mothers on baby care. Key findings revealed that the women in the study had negative experiences related to being pregnant and having a baby in a foreign country. In addition to identifying challenges associated with migration, such as language barriers, racism, discrimination, poverty, and separation from their culture and family, the study highlighted the fears and difficulties experienced by refugee mothers, the cultural beliefs of refugee women about caring for their babies, and turning points in the life of refugee mothers.

Sentiment analysis on Twitter: A text mining approach to the Syrian refugee crisis

The use of social media has become an integral part of daily routine in modern society. Social media portals offer powerful public platforms where people can freely share their opinions and feelings about various topics with large crowds. In the current study, we investigated the public opinions and sentiments towards the Syrian refugee crisis, which has affected millions of people and has become a widely discussed, polarizing topic in social media around the world. To analyze public sentiments about the topic on Twitter, we collected a total of 2381,297 relevant tweets in two languages including Turkish and English. Turkish sentiments were considered important as Turkey has welcomed the largest number of Syrian refugees and Turkish tweets carried information to reflect public perception of a refugee hosting country first handedly. We performed a comparative sentiment analysis of retrieved tweets. The results indicated that the sentiments in Turkish tweets were significantly different from the sentiments in English tweets. We found that Turkish tweets carried slightly more positive sentiments towards Syrians and refugees than neutral and negative sentiments, nevertheless the sentiments of tweets were almost evenly distributed among the three major categories. On the other hand, the largest number of English tweets by a significant margin contained neutral sentiments, which was followed by the negative sentiments. In comparison to the ratio of positive sentiments in Turkish tweets, 35% of all Turkish tweets, the proportion of English tweets contained remarkably less positive sentiments towards Syrians and refugees, only 12% of all English tweets.

European and Turkish Humanitarian Response during the Syrian Crisis

:The ongoing conflict in Syria has created one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in the world. Humanitarian needs continue to rise, population displacements are increasing and an entire generation of children is being exposed to war and violence, increasingly deprived of basic services, education and protection. The European Union and its member states collectively are leading the international response. More than € billion have been mobilized for relief and recovery assistance to Syrians in their country and to refugees and their host communities in neighboring Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt. Turkey above all is currently hosting more than 2.5 million Syrian refugees, the largest number of Syrian refugees in one country in the world, even during last summer. The article aims to provide a general overview of the Syrian crisis after the so-called “Arab Spring” in 2011, particularly from a humanitarian point of view. After this step, the article will focus on the Turkish humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis itself, including the initiatives that the EU has created to deal with the problem.

A Tale of Two Cities: Aleppo and Istanbul

There are 7.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria, and an additional 5 million people have taken refuge in Syria’s immediate neighbourhood: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Among these countries, due to its open border policy, Turkey has received the largest number of Syrian refugees. As of 31 August 2016, there are more than 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. This article will concentrate on the findings of a recent qualitative and quantitative study conducted among Syrian refugees in Istanbul, with a particular focus on their strong attachment to this city. I shall claim that historical, cultural and religious forms of affinity are likely to particularly attach the Sunni-Muslim-Arab-Syrians originating from Aleppo province to Istanbul. This article is expected to contribute to the discipline of Refugee Studies by shedding light on the historical and human elements, which are often the missing elements in such analysis.

Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Syrian Refugees in Turkey

The Arab Spring has affected many Arabic countries in the region and resulted in regime changes and general disruption in people's lives (Khan, Ahmad, & Shah, 2014). The Arab Spring refers to a wave of revolutionary civil unrest, riots, demonstrations and protests in the Arab world that began in December 2010 in Tunisia, and spread throughout the countries of the Arab League and its surroundings (Arab Spring, n.d.). The Syrian Republic is embroiled in a civil war in which separatists have been protesting for more democratic rights and the imposition of a civilian government. The region has been further destabilized by the conflict surrounding ethnic origin, and the political and religious activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).Approximately 6 million people have taken refuge in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt since the Syrian conflict began in 2011 (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2016). According to the UNHCR (2016), the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) has accommodated the largest number of Syrian refugees in the region. The Turkish government quickly took the necessary steps, such as opening the border and providing food and shelter, after the first group of Syrian refugees entered Turkey on April 9, 2011. To date, there are roughly 2.8 million refugees living in camps and urban areas; half of these refugees are children (UNHCR, 2016). The majority of refugees (90%) live outside of camps and are surviving under challenging circumstances compared to the refugees who live in camps. Refugee camps offer health care, education, food, security and social services. However, refugees who live outside of camps have limited access to information and public services such as education and health care.Syrian refugees are enduring daily challenges to physical and mental survival. In addition to the extreme needs for physical and nutritional interventions, mental health professionals recognize the urgent need for counseling services based on widespread documented reports of refugees' exile experiences and exposure to multiple sources of trauma (Sirin & Rogers-Sirin, 2015). This crisis has resulted in a population of displaced people suffering from a number of mental health issues (Alpak et al., 2014; Betancourt et al., 2015; Clarke & Borders, 2014; Ozer, Cirin, & Oppedal, 2013). For example, Onen, Gune§, Tureme, and Agac (2014) conducted a quantitative study on Syrians who resettled in refugee camps. The results indicated that 19% of refugees reported high levels of anxiety and 9% experienced high levels of depression. In a recent study, Alpak et al. (2014) reported that approximately one third (33.5%) of Syrian refugees showed symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).The fact that many of the displaced Syrians are especially vulnerable children living far from their homes, cultures and countries further highlights the magnitude of the crisis (Ozer et al., 2013). Recent reports indicate that up to 50% of the Syrian refugees are children suffering from exposure to severe traumatic events at rates higher than their adult counterparts (Sirin & Rogers-Sirin, 2015). Ozer et al. (2013) reported that 74% of Syrian children in a refugee camp have experienced the loss of a family member or a loved one, and 60% of children felt their lives were in danger. These self-reports of distress and concern are consistent with another recent study of 8,000 displaced Syrian children who reported constant fears (15.1%) and suicidal thoughts (26%; James, Sovcik, Garoff, & Abbasi, 2014).Several indicators suggest that the severity of the current Syrian refugee crisis is unprecedented. A recent meta-analysis compared the relative rates of mental health disorders between refugees from different world regions and ultimate country of relocation (Fazel, Wheeler, & Danesh, 2005). Fazel et al. (2005) found that while up to 10% of refugees who relocated in Western countries experienced symptoms of PTSD, major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, the frequency of these diagnoses is significantly greater among the current Syrian refugee population (Alpak et al. …