Syrian Refugee Women Research Articles

Navigating Intersectional Complexities: A Narrative Analysis of Syrian Refugee Women With Disabilities in Turkey

Refugee women with disabilities experience a multiplicity of insecurities before, during, and after their displacement, including exposure to violence during conflicts, barriers to their mobility, challenges along their routes to safety, difficulties in accessing rights and services in the host state, and hardships while navigating the means of survival in the host community. Despite the intertwined convergence of gender and ableism in exile affecting refugee women’s experiences, international and national laws and policies fail to address this intersectional reality. This study examines the lived experiences of Syrian refugee women with disabilities in Gaziantep, Turkey. Through an analysis of qualitative data with a narrative approach, the study not only depicts the interactions of gender, disability, and displacement that shape Syrian women’s lives but also contests the traditional discourse on their vulnerabilities. Through specific stories of Syrian women, this study highlights their strategies for survival and their future plans within the context of the intersectionality of the challenges they face.

Intimate citizenship and compensatory masculinities

This study explores the complex conditions of cross-border marriages between Syrian refugee women and Jordanian men in Mafraq, Jordan, within the context of South-South migration. Through qualitative interviews in Mughayyir, Raba', and Zaatari, the research examines specific gendered and raced relations shaped by discourses and practices of femininity and masculinity. Racialized gendered dynamics portray the strategic mobilization of non-hegemonic and 'compensatory masculinities' among Jordanian men in response to Syrian women's perceived vulnerability. Drawing on Ken Plummer's 'intimate citizenship,' the study scrutinizes marriage decision-making entangled with political discourses, revealing the imbrication of personal lives with globalized politics, embedded within the gendered patriarchal demands of the hosting society. In contrast to studies on North-South cross-border marriages, this research focuses on the South, shedding light on non-migrant husbands' experiences and their compensatory strategies. The 'intimate citizenship' framework illuminates challenges surrounding desirable and undesirable unions within displaced Syrian women and Jordanian men, unveiling the politicization and stigma associated with cross-border marriages. By addressing societal judgments and introducing 'heterosexual capital' and 'compensatory masculinity,' the research enriches our understanding of South-South migration complexities, prompting a reevaluation of existing frameworks and fostering a more nuanced discussion.

Suicidal behaviors among refugee women in Jordan: post-traumatic stress disorder, social support and post-displacement stressors

BackgroundThis paper examines the frequency of suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideation or attempt) among a sample of Syrian refugee women living in non-camp settings in Jordan. We asked several questions surrounding suicide and examined the associations between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social connectedness, post-displacement stressors and suicidal behaviors.MethodsParticipants (n = 507) were recruited using a clinic-based systematic sampling from four health clinics throughout Jordan in 2018. We used a multivariable logistic regression to examine the hypothesis of whether positive screening for PTSD (PCL-5), social isolation (have no friends or family members available to help), and greater number of post-displacement stressors (PMLD Checklist) is associated with suicidal behaviors.ResultsApproximately one-tenth (9.86%) of participants surveyed reported suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideation or attempt) in the past six months. Our hypothesis was partially supported. In the adjusted multivariable analyses, screening positive for PTSD [OR:4.02 (95% CI:1.33, 12.15)] increased odds of suicidal behaviors, while having one friend or family member available to help when in need [OR:0.31 (95% CI:0.13, 0.78)] decreased odds of suicidal behaviors. We did not find any associations between the number of post-displacement stressors and suicidal behaviors in the multivariable model.ConclusionAgencies and practitioners addressing suicidal behaviors among Syrian refugee women should provide interventions that aim to reduce PTSD symptoms and social isolation. Potential intervention includes screening for mental health symptoms and suicidal behaviors during routine visits with service providers, as well as providing proper mental health and psychosocial support services according to the mapping of available services.

EXPRESS: Resourcing Hope: Refugee Agentive Consumption Acts in Protracted Displacement

The global refugee crisis presents a complex challenge, with millions experiencing protracted displacement in inhospitable conditions. This study examines the lived experiences of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon, focusing on how they resource hope and maintain well-being amid forced liquidity and uncertainty. Drawing on ethnographic interviews with 26 Syrian refugee women, we uncover the profound effects of changed consumer roles and the critical function of agentive anchoring acts of consumption in resourcing hope. Our findings reveal that refugees employ four types of anchoring acts—domesticity, spirituality, self-care, and socializing—to momentarily restore normalcy, affirm dignity, and enhance well-being. These acts serve as vessels for resourcing and mobilizing hope, allowing refugees to ‘live through’ their present circumstances while aspiring for a better future. We introduce the concept of hope as a social resource that can be collectively shared and mobilized, highlighting the dynamic interplay between hope and hopelessness in refugee experiences. This research contributes to understanding how marketing and service systems can improve refugee well-being in protracted displacement, offering insights for stakeholders to create conditions that foster rather than inhibit subjective well-being among vulnerable consumers experiencing protracted displacement and involuntary liquidity in global modernity to resource hope.

Nutrition Knowledge, English Adequacy, Women's Education, and Food Insecurity Among Syrian Refugees in Florida.

Objectives The objective of the study was to measure food security among Syrian refugees residing in urban and rural areas in Florida. Women's education, English proficiency, and nutrition knowledge were assessed to indicate their effects on food security in this population. Methods One-on-one interview questionnaires were administered to Syrian refugee households residing in Florida (n=80: n=43 in rural areas and n=37 in urban areas). The main outcomes were food insecurity, nutrition knowledge, English adequacy, and women's education. Results The main outcome of this study was the food security status among Syrian refugees residing in Florida. Among the total households, 80% were food insecure, and food insecurity was greater in rural areas (60.9%) than in urban areas (39.1%). The majority (57.5%) of participants scored fair nutrition knowledge. One-way frequency analysis showed that 75% of households had inadequate English. Around 23.7% of Syrian refugee women had a high school diploma or higher. Among these women, 68.4% were residing in urban areas. The chi-squared test showed significant differences in women's education in rural and urban areas (p=0.03). Nutrition knowledge was higher in urban areas compared to rural areas. The chi-squared test showed a significant difference in nutrition knowledge in urban and rural areas (p=0.04). The result of the multivariate logistic regression model indicated that the typeof residence, rural vs urban areas,had an inverse significant effect on food security after controlling for our variables. Syrian refugees in rural areas had 79.9 greater odds of being food insecure compared with urban areas (odds ratio: 0.201, 95% CI: 0.053-0.758, p=0.01). Conclusions Nutrition knowledge, English adequacy, and women's education may be less important than types of residence. The typeof residence is a contributing factor to food insecurity in Syrian refugees residing in Florida. A larger sample size would allow a clearer understanding of the relation of our variables with food insecurity.

Syrian refugee women's experiences of barriers to mental health services for postpartum depression.

To describe Syrian refugee women's experiences of the barriers to access mental health services for postpartum depression (PPD). A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Fifteen purposefully selected Syrian refugee women who scored ≥10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale participated in the semi-structured telephone interviews. Transcripts were coded verbatim and analysed thematically according to the dimensions of Levesque's model of patient-centred access to healthcare. Data were collected between August 2022 and February 2023. Five themes with 14 subthemes were identified: (1) approachability covered lack of knowledge and misconceptions related to PPD and its treatment, lack of awareness of available psychosocial services and perceived need of mental health treatment; (2) acceptability comprised being a refugee, stigma of mental illness, cultural preferences of healthcare provider and language barrier; (3) availability and accommodation encompassed transportation barrier and location of the centre, no support for childcare and lack of time; (4) affordability included financial difficulties and health insurance coverage; (5) appropriateness comprised no screening for PPD and intermittent services with limited focus on mental health. The findings of this study reveal that Syrian refugee women experienced multi-faceted complex barriers to access mental health services for PPD. It is important for health professionals, including nurses, and policymakers to address the cultural mental health needs of this population and establish strategies to protect their legal and health rights. Our study has important practice and policy implications for establishing strategies designed specifically for refugee mothers to mitigate their perceived barriers to PPD treatment and ultimately improve their mental health. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research was used. No patient or public contribution. Participants were Syrian refugee women with PPD symptoms and contributed only to the interviews and member checking.

Employment and work intentions of refugee women. Evidence on Syrians in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT This study examines the employment and work intentions of Syrian refugee women in the Netherlands. While earlier studies showed that refugee women have dramatically low labor force participation rates, it remains poorly understood why this is the case. In this study, we provide new insights, using large-scale, nationally representative data on Syrian refugee women in the Netherlands. Our analyses provide evidence to suggest that beyond human capital characteristics, three gender-specific factors contribute to lower participation rates: discrimination of Muslim women who wear a veil, family constraints and traditional gender role attitudes. Among Syrian unemployed women, we find that wearing a veil or having young children is associated with an inability to work, whereas traditional gender role attitudes are significantly associated with unwillingness to work.

The Cross-Cultural Validation of Neuropsychological Assessments and Their Clinical Applications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Scoping Analysis.

The present study explores the cross-cultural validation of neuropsychological assessments and their clinical applications in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), focusing on culturally adapted CBT (CA-CBT) across diverse populations and settings. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in multiple academic databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Keywords related to cognitive behavioral therapy, cultural adaptation, and specific populations were used. The inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and pilot studies that assessed CA-CBT for various mental health conditions. The review included studies involving Chinese Americans, Latino caregivers, Syrian refugees, Jordanian children, Malaysian Muslims, Afghan refugees, Iraqi women, Japanese children and adolescents, and Tanzanian and Kenyan children. CA-CBT demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and psychosis. For instance, research has shown that CA-CBT is more effective than standard CBT in reducing depressive symptoms among Chinese Americans and in significantly lowering PTSD symptoms in Syrian refugee women. This method has been well-received and is feasible for use in diverse populations, such as Jordanian children and Afghan refugees. The long-term benefits are promising, with sustained improvements being reported in various studies. Additionally, digital and remote delivery methods have demonstrated potential for expanding the accessibility of CA-CBT. CA-CBT is a valuable and effective intervention for diverse cultural populations, significantly improving mental health outcomes. However, future research must address limitations such as small sample sizes, short follow-up periods, and variability in assessment tools. Future studies should include larger and more diverse sample sizes, longer follow-up periods, rigorous control groups, and comprehensive outcome measures to further validate and enhance the application of CA-CBT across different cultural contexts.

Double immobility: Syrian refugee women navigating the voluntary and forced marriage binary in Egypt

ABSTRACT Research on why women, especially racialized women, stay in undesirable relationships is scarce and often misses how intersecting inequalities affect their decisions and the wider range of consent and coercion. Syrian refugee women in Egypt, grappling with not just unwanted marriages but also displacement and uprooting are a case in point. Their limited cultural, social, and legal mobility complicates their decision-making and limits their options. I describe this compounded precarity as ‘double immobility’: immobility within the marriage and immobility within the country. A secondary displacement where this time they become ‘displaced in place’ (Lubkemann, S. C. 2008. “Involuntary Immobility: On a Theoretical Invisibility in Forced Migration Studies.” Journal of Refugee Studies 21 (4): 454–475). Drawing on qualitative interviews with Syrian refugee women in Egypt in 2017, I employ an intersectional lens to highlight the social, legal, and migratory locations of displaced women that exacerbate their predicament, prompting a re-evaluation of the binary views of force/voluntary and coercion/consent in discussions about entering, remaining, and exiting marriage. The paper offers a novel framework for understanding the intersection of gendered displacement and marital dynamics and contributes to the broader discussion within the sociology of gender, displacement, and marriage.

The effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral counseling program to reduce symptoms of depression of Syrian refugee women

The current research aims to prepare a scale of depression, and design an experimental cognitive-behavioral counseling program to reduce symptoms of depression among Syrian refugee women. The sample of the study consisted of (30) women who live at Qushtapa camp in Erbil, the researchers randomly selected (15) women for the group of experimental and (15) women for the control group, both groups were balanced in the case of (Depression, Age, Education level, Financial, and Marital status). The researchers build the counseling program based on the Cognative-behavioral theories of (Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis). The program comprised (16) counseling sessions, two sessions per week, and the duration of each session was (60) minutes. The psychometric characteristics of the scale were completed. The result demonstrates that the (McGogian) value is (0.61), which is acceptable and indicated that the program has high effectiveness. Furthermore, there is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of refugee women for both experimental and control groups after the implementation of the program at the statistical level (0.05) in favor of the experimental group. Based on the research findings, the researchers proposed several recommendations.

Marriage economics, bargaining and strategic agency: Egyptian-Syrian intermarriage practices in the context of displacement

Based on forty-eight qualitative interviews with Syrian refugee women and their families, this study explores the dynamics of Syrian-Egyptian marriages formed after displacement. Grounded in acculturation, marriage economics, and social exchange theories, I ask: what role is played by both cultural customs and displacement in dictating the Egyptian-(displaced)Syrian intermarriage trajectories and power dynamics in these unions? And how did Syrian women and Egyptian men leverage cultural differences to maximize their own benefits? The results outline how urfi (customary) marriage and marriage economic traditions differ between these two often homogenized (and continuously Orientalized) cultures, impacting the marital relationship’s nature, bargaining power and success. Beyond the passive exploitation narrative that hounds these highly stigmatized arrangements, the analysis illuminates how these marriages are often a result of immediate utilitarian and financial intersecting interests between the men and the women, they still carry long-term effects influencing the spousal balance of power. Nonetheless, some Syrian women leveraged cultural differences to maximize their gains and mitigate the implications of displacement and uprooting demonstrating a strategic and dialogical acculturation. The study concludes by highlighting the impact of displacement on marriage dynamics, shedding light on financial and power imbalances while highlighting how social and moral factors such as family support and socioeconomic factors influence the marriage dynamic. Contribution: The study sheds light on inter-Arab marriages in displacement contexts and broadens understanding within the larger spectrum of Arab marital dynamics, stimulating nuanced conversations about the sociology of marriage and family in the Arab world.

Sexually transmitted infections among pregnant Syrian refugee women seeking antenatal care in Lebanon.

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis was determined among 431 pregnant Syrian refugee women seeking antenatal care in Lebanon. Low prevalence at 0.5% for chlamydia, 0.2% for trichomoniasis and 0.0% for gonorrhoeae was detected, suggesting a low burden of sexually transmitted infection in this population.

Becoming temporarily protected, producing temporarily protecting places: how Syrian refugee women and children co-create place in Istanbul

ABSTRACT The paper examines the usefulness of the Deleuzian concepts of smooth space and stratified space while capturing the experiences of refugee women and children as non-citizens under the temporary protection regime in Istanbul. Deleuze and Guattari, in their book ‘A Thousand Plateaus’, describe smooth space as the territory of the nomads, those who do not fit in neatly into forms of identity and division. Striated space on the other hand is created by the sedentary, the state, with an interest in blocking the speed of flows, movements of elements not rooted in a supposedly homogenous whole. Many refugee children acquire by birth the legal status of being under temporary protection, a liminal position which for many turns into a life-long arrangement. How do refugee women and children re-create community and culture as bounded to a place? What kind of space delivers itself to being transformed into a place of belonging for them? To work through these questions, interview data from several Syrian women and three Syrian children gathered through semi-structured interviews are embedded in the observations of social workers and psychologists working at the Kizilay community Centre the informants frequent in the Bagcilar district of Istanbul Province in Turkey.

Blossoming Through Creativity: Unveiling Sense of Belonging Among Ukrainian and Syrian Refugee Women in Ontario

Blossoming Through Creativity: Unveiling Sense of Belonging Among Ukrainian and Syrian Refugee Women in Ontario

Intersecting social-ecological vulnerabilities to and lived experiences of sexually transmitted infections among Syrian refugee women in Lebanon: A qualitative study.

Conflict-affected women and girls living in protracted forced displacement settings are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yet, little is known about the risk factors for and lived experiences of STIs in complex humanitarian settings, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, where STIs have long been understudied. This qualitative study adapts the social ecological model to characterize the multi-level risks for and lived experiences of STIs among Syrian refugee women resettled in an urban refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. Adopting a community-based sampling strategy, community health workers, who were refugee women from the camp, recruited and conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 30 adult Syrian refugee women. Data were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological approach and thematically organized according to the levels of the social ecological model. We identified a confluence of individual, interpersonal, community-based, and societal vulnerabilities to STIs, including extreme poverty and insecurity, patriarchal gender norms, stigma, sexual exploitation and trafficking, poor healthcare accessibility, intimate partner violence, including marital rape, transactional sex, sexual harassment, social isolation, and internalized stigma. Participants described experiencing bothersome symptoms and sequelae of advanced and untreated STIs in the setting of limited access to health services and challenges with engaging their partners in STI treatment, largely due to STI stigma. These novel findings suggest dynamic, interrelated social and health disparities across all social ecological levels influencing refugee women's sexual health, including their risk of STIs. Comprehensive, multi-sectorial interventions, which transcend traditional public health methods and which adopt a sexual well-being approach, are urgently needed to address systemic and intrapersonal violence against refugee women, examine and mitigate the burden of STIs, and ensure sexual justice and health equity in this protracted forced displacement setting.

Syrian refugees Women’s urinary tract infection knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Al-Mafraq Governorate: A Cross-Sectional study

BackgroundUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are common health problems, especially among women, which can have significant impacts on the quality of life and health care costs. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding UTIs can influence prevention and treatment outcomes. ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess Syrian refugee women’s level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward UTIs in Al-Mafraq Governorate. The relationships between the selected demographics and the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of these women toward UTIs were also examined. DesignA descriptive-correlational study design. Settings: Data was collected from two clinics in Al-Mafraq Governorate. The actual names of the centers are withheld, but they represent primary healthcare providers in the region. Participants: 400 Syrian refugee women were systematically sampled for this study. Selection was based on visiting the clinics during the study period, with inclusion and exclusion criteria focused on age, nationality, and willingness to participate. MethodsStructured interview questions were used to gather data related to the participants’ demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding UTIs. ResultsThe majority of participants had secondary education or less (87.3 %). The mean knowledge score about UTIs was 41.26 %. Detailed knowledge scores were reported for UTI causes, transmission modes, symptoms, complications, and preventive measures. ConclusionsSyrian refugee women in Al-Mafraq Governorate displayed a limited understanding of UTIs. Many women self-reported signs and symptoms related to UTIs, indicating a potential health concern. The results emphasize the importance of initiating UTI-focused educational campaigns for this population.

Dramatizing Care: An Ethnodrama Into Syrian Refugee Women’s Healthcare Challenges and Coping in Ontario, Canada

Dramatizing Care: An Ethnodrama Into Syrian Refugee Women’s Healthcare Challenges and Coping in Ontario, Canada

Volunteer programs, empowerment, and life satisfaction in Jordan: mapping local knowledge and systems change to inform public policy and science diplomacy.

Volunteering in the community is thought to provide unique benefits to people who experience limited engagement in society. In the global South, volunteer programs are often framed as empowering women and benefiting the poor, without empirical evidence or systematic investigation of what this means from a local perspective. For this reason, it is critical to represent stakeholder knowledge, understand how change happens systemically, and reduce cultural bias in scientific inquiry and public policy. As such, efforts to respect diverse narratives and problem-solving approaches are key to science diplomacy - they help us understand cultural relevance, program efficacy, and for whom a program is considered transformative. This study shows how Syrian refugee and Jordanian women, living in resource-poor families, articulated (i) concepts of empowerment and life satisfaction and (ii) the benefits of engaging in community-based volunteering programs. Through engaging in a participatory methodology known as Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, women generated visual representations of these constructs and cause-and-effect reasoning. They identified several dimensions of empowerment (e.g., cultural, financial, and psychological empowerment) and several meanings of life satisfaction (e.g. adaptation, acceptance, and contentment). They also mapped connections between variables, identifying those that might catalyze change. We were specifically interested in evaluating understandings of We Love Reading, a program that trains volunteers to become changemakers in their local community. In simulations, we modelled how employment, education, money, and volunteering would drive system change, with notable results on cultural empowerment. Through visual maps and scenarios of change, the study demonstrates a participatory approach to localizing knowledge and evaluating programs. This is key to improving scientific enquiry and public policy.

Perceived Discrimination and Poverty among Syrian Refugee Women in Jordan

The Syrian Civil War displaced millions of Syrian women and children, many of whom face economic challenges and discrimination. This paper examines self-reported poverty and its relationship with perceived discrimination among women, as framed by social exclusion theory. The cross-sectional study included 507 Syrian refugee women visiting health clinics outside camps in Jordan. Consistent with our hypothesis, 79.09% of women reported poverty as a serious problem, and women reporting discrimination were found to have higher odds of reporting poverty as a serious problem post-migration (AOR: 3.489; 95% CI: 1.534, 7.937). Gender-responsive interventions, policy implications, and recommendations are addressed.

Reflexive reciprocity under an ethics of care: Reflections from the field for refugee studies

Abstract By bringing reflexivity and reciprocity into conceptual dialogue in a discussion about the ethical framework of care in research, this article discusses how ‘reflexive reciprocity’ can be a research tool in migration studies. Taking reciprocity—the dynamics of giving and receiving—as an aspect contextually bound to the refugee experience, I propose that a relationship of giving and receiving helps undermine the inevitable power asymmetries in knowledge production. Reciprocity becomes all the more essential when researching refugee communities where narratives are prompted in a way that mirrors how refugees are elicited to give information within mechanisms of refugee governance, where they narrate their neediness, perform their vulnerability, and justify their deservingness in return for legal and humanitarian protection in traumatic processes that can be a distortion of the norms of reciprocity. This article invites researchers to address reciprocity in research, premised on the idea that an ethical framework of care should go beyond paying lip service to protect vulnerable and marginalized participants. Reflecting on my case study research with Syrian refugee women in Turkey, Ankara, I argue that reflexive reciprocity is both a tool for more rigorous data collection in a qualitative inquiry and a practical application of an ethical framework of care. In exploring instances where I could link reflexivity to action-oriented reciprocity through ‘everyday acts of caring’, I demonstrate that reflexive reciprocity can somewhat balance out the extractive nature of research and thereby contribute to the ongoing discussion about the ‘reflexive turn’ in migration studies.