Surviving crisis after crisis: strengths and gaps in support for Syrian refugee families living in Lebanon
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1747-9894
Article publication date: 15 April 2024
Issue publication date: 17 May 2024
Abstract
Purpose
As host to over one million Syrian refugees, Lebanon continues to experience challenges addressing the needs of refugee families. This research examined the experiences of Syrian families with the refugee support system in Lebanon. The purpose of this study was to better understand the strengths and gaps in existing mechanisms of support for these Syrian families, including informal support from family, neighbors and community and more formalized support provided through entities such as nongovernmental organizations and United Nations agencies.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 46 families displaced by the war and living in Lebanon (N = 351 individuals within 46 families). Collaborative family interviews were conducted with parents, children and often extended family.
Findings
The data identified both strengths and gaps in the refugee support system in Lebanon. Gaps in the refugee support system included inadequate housing, a lack of financial and economic support, challenges with a lack of psychosocial support for pregnant women and support for disabled youth. Despite these challenges, families and community workers reported informal community support as a strong mediator of the challenges in Lebanon. Furthermore, the data find that organizations working with Syrian families are utilizing informal community support through capacity building, to create more effective and sustainable support services.
Originality/value
This study provides an overview of strengths and gaps in supports identified by refugees themselves. The research will inform the development and improvement of better support systems in Lebanon and in other refugee–hosting contexts.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
We would especially like to thank the Syrian families who welcomed us into their homes and shared their stories with us.
Funding: This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) under grant number 430–2015-00650.
Declaration of interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Ethics: The research received human subjects’ ethical approval from the Wilfrid Laurier University Research Ethics Board (REB #4661).
Citation
Badawi, D. and Akesson, B. (2024), "Surviving crisis after crisis: strengths and gaps in support for Syrian refugee families living in Lebanon", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 337-353. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-07-2022-0076
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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