How do Syrian refugee women reconstruct their lives in Turkey?: an analysis of attitudes, beliefs and experiences of Syrian refugee women on child education and child labor

Official URL: http://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b1819759 (Table of Contents)

The main purpose of this study is to understand Syrian refugee women’s experiences in Turkey after forced displacement of war in Syria. It explores Syrian refugee women’s beliefs and attitudes on child education and child labor. The study refers data gathered in semi-structured interviews with eleven Syrian refugee women in Okmeydanı neighborhood to portray their experiences on adapting to the neighborhood, child education and child labor. Refugee women’s accounts indicate that Syrian refugee women in Turkey struggle in adapting to the new environment due to lack of social capital, language difficulties, economic hardships and social exclusion. Refugee mothers consider their children as the main motivation for holding on the life, but they feel powerless as a mother, and they have safety concerns about their children. They have difficulties in providing quality education for their children because of language barrier, financial difficulties, bullying and discrimination by peers, and child labor. Economic hardships are considered as the main reason for child labor among Syrian refugee mothers.