Displacement, deprivation and hard work among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

Abstract

BackgroundThe protracted Syrian war resulted in the largest refugee crisis of our time. The most vulnerable are children who face separation from parents, interruption of schooling and child labour. This study explores the living and working conditions of Syrian children in Lebanon.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we randomly selected 153 informal tented settlements and conducted interviewer-administered surveys among Syrian refugee working children in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. Those aged 8–18 completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic and occupational characteristics; those aged 4–8 years were surveyed through a household questionnaire.ResultsWe surveyed 1902 households, including 12 708 individuals and 4377 working children. Female-headed households were poorer and more food-insecure than male-headed households. Among working children (4–18 years), the average age of starting work was 10.9 years and 74.8% worked in agriculture. Compared with boys, girls earned less and were less likely to be enrolled in school. For 96.3% of working children aged 8–18 years, forced exodus to Lebanon was associated with a first child labour experience. Working conditions were harsh and worse for girls who compared to boys were less likely to receive their salary on time and take time off work. Girls worked longer in the sun and cold and were more likely to report having a health symptom at work, working under pressure and using sharp or heavy objects at work. Seventy-nine children reported knowing another child who died following a work accident.ConclusionChildren, as young as 4, are forced to work, and many are compelled to forgo educational opportunities in favour of harsh and harmful labour due to difficult economic conditions. State policies facilitating access to work for adult refugees will help families meet basic needs and decrease their dependence on child labour as a coping strategy.

Vulnerabilities of Syrian refugee children in Turkey and actions taken for prevention and management in terms of health and wellbeing

“…Syrian refugee children are exposed to various traumatic events such as loss of a loved one, witnessing combat or life threat during war and flight ( Gormez et al, 2018 ). Other social risk factors during post-migration period such as child labor, family violence, and child marriage also negatively affect the psychosocial wellbeing of Syrian refugee children in Turkey ( El Arab & Sagbakken, 2019 ; Falb et al, 2019 ; Habib et al, 2019 ; Usta et al, 2019 ; Wringe et al, 2019 ). Associated with these risk factors, studies indicate higher estimates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety among Syrian refugee children compared to Turkish children.…”

“…A study conducted by UNHCR in 2015 found that the highest risk for Syrian refugee children was psychological concern (51 %) followed by children dropped out of school (25 %) and child labor (11 %) ( UNHCR, 2015. p. 19 ). It is also important to mention that the risks identified in this study, including child labour ( Habib et al, 2019 ), child marriages ( El Arab & Sagbakken, 2019 ; Wringe et al, 2019 ) and domestic violence ( Falb, Blackwell, Stennes, Hussein, & Annan, 2019 ; Usta, Masterson, & Farver, 2019 ) in addition to the aforementioned higher risks, are factors which are likely to influence psychological wellbeing negatively.…”

Social capital, social cohesion, and health of Syrian refugee working children living in informal tented settlements in Lebanon: A cross-sectional study

“…The study is based on a detailed protocol that was used in designing the study (see S1 Text, Study Protocol). The detailed study methodology is also reported in recently published work [4,6,50,51]. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the American University of Beirut (IRB-RH1.08).…”

“…The majority of Syrian refugees in the Bekaa are living in informal tented settlements (ITSs), which are collections of makeshift tents that provide inadequate and unsafe shelter [ 4 ]. Many such settlements are located near or on agricultural fields, which is consistent with agricultural housing practices from before the Syrian Civil War, when workers from Syria would come to tend the fields of the Bekaa on a seasonal basis [ 5 ].…”

Sexual and reproductive health and rights of refugee and migrant women: gynecologists’ and obstetricians’ responsibilities

“…Lebanon is hosting 1.5 million Syrian refugees, 75% percent of whom are women and children . According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Syrian refugees have less access to primary healthcare services than the Lebanese population.…”