External Syrian Refugee Crisis and their European Dream Wafaa Arbash Graduate Student in Peace and Development at Brandeis University Massachusetts Peace Action Cambridge, MA 11/09/2015

Agenda  Overview  Reasons  Challenges  The dream to Europe  How you can help?

Overview  Syria has more than 4 million people who are external refugees.  Syrian refugees are fleeing to Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Europe.  80 percent of Syrian refugees live in camps and urban areas  50 percent of the refugees are children. Source: UNHCR

Reasons Conflict Escape from the military service Looking for better future

Basic Needs Challenges Shelter Water Food Education Employment Health

Education challenges 1.Overcrowded classrooms. 2.Discrimination. 3.Financial hardship, which leads to drop from school and work. 4.Undocumented. 5.Language barriers. 6.Traumatized generation. 7.Different curriculum. 8.Distance. 9.They haven’t been in school for two years or more. Source: UNHCR(2015)

Child Marriage and labor Due to the economic and social factors child labor and marriage have increased significantly among the Syrian refugees. 50 percent of Syrian refugees children are out of school. 46 percent of Syrian refugee boys and 14% of girls aged 14 or over are working more than 44 hours a week in Jordan. Source: UNHCR Source: UN women

Child Marriage and labor Before the conflict 13 percent of Syrian girls got married under 18 years old Nowadays 51 percent of Syrian girls are married under 18 years old. Source: UNHCR

Tension The tension between Syrian refugees and host communities is increasing every day. Economically: Refugees labor increase the renting cost and increase the unemployment rate among the host communities. 60 % decrease the minimum wage per day in Lebanon after the refugees crisis. Socially: different culture, discrimination against Syrian refugees. Source: ILO

The Dream of Europe Population group 1 Young males: Single males (aged 18-30), traveling alone Married males (aged 25-40), travelling alone but planning for family to join at a later date 2 Families : Relatively small family groups, with an average of two children aged 0-12 years old 3 Young females Single females (aged 18-30), travelling alone or with friends 4 Females with children Married females (aged 25-35), travelling with an average of two children aged 0-12 years old Widowed or travelling to join family already in Europe 5 Unaccompanied minors Children, predominantly male (aged 8-17) Some accidentally separated from family members, others deliberately sent ahead. Source: REACH

How and Why ? Decrease the aid, better opportunities, more safety, work permit and they feel welcome. Work over than 15 hours in Turkey to afford the trip. Smugglers are charging between USD 1,200- 5,000 per person. Source: REACH

Why and How? eos/ / eos/ / Around 3,000 refugees died in the sea this year. Source: REACH

Take more refugees and integrate them into US community. Increase aid support to refugees by donating to NGOs. Put pressure on policymakers to stop the conflict in Syria. How can you help?

Thank you for listening