1. Child Labor Among Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Research Challenges and Ethics Concerning a “Triply Vulnerable” Community
Hasan Shaaban/ (Left, Center), Shelby Surdyk (Right)
Rima Habib, PhD, MPH, MOHS
Professor & Chair Department of Environmental Health
Faculty of Health Sciences American University of Beirut

2. Outline Background & relevant facts
Brief description of the research project
Ethical challenges encountered
Recommendations

3. Background & Relevant Facts
Lebanese lawmakers banned adult Syrian refugees from working
Children as young as 6 are working 5-10 hours per day
36% of agricultural child laborers are illiterate
Agriculture work exposes children to danger and hazardous conditions
Ministry of Labor and ILO, National Action Plan to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor in Lebanon by Available from
Shaheen, K. “Adults before their time”. The Guardian, Available from
UNICEF, UNFPA, UNESCO, UNHCR and SCI, Situation analysis of youth in light of the Syrian crisis, Available from

4. Child labor project Interdisciplinary methodology:
Desk review and document analysis
Ethnographic qualitative fieldwork
Quantitative household survey

5. The study area
Fieldwork was conducted in 4 districts, within 2 governorates (muhafaza) of Lebanon:
Hermel
Baalbek
Zahle
West Beqaa

6. The quantitative component
REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (Bottom), Google Maps/2017 Satellite Image (Top)

7. The quantitative component
The household and parent questionnaire - Carried out with the female “home maker” at each selected tent
Collects data on household demographics, education, migration history, employment history, social capital and family assets, availability of/access to/use of services, and social and family practices
The child questionnaire
- Carried out directly with children aged 8 to less than 18
- Collects data on conditions of life and work, specifically child workers demographics, work history and experience, education, health status and experiences, and perceived outlook on life

8. Ethical Consent & Assent Process
Individual tent in ITS [Household]
Female homemaker OR Male head of household
Consent of household to participate
Working child [Age 4 - <8]
Working child [Age ]
Working child [Age > ]
Consent of parent Assent of child
Consent of parent Assent of child
Parent answers

9. Ethical challenges
Photo Credit: Addario, L. (2015). In the Bekaa Valley, may refugee children do farm work to help support their families. The New York Times.

10. “Triple Vulnerability”
Children
Lebanese Law
Workers Vulnerable to repercussions from employers and shaweesh (middle men)
Refugees Precarious conditions, lack of basic necessities, survey fatigue
مشروع الهراوي لقانون الاحوال الشخصية الباب الثالث لولاية
المادة 86 : الولاية الجبرية على القاصر هي للأب، وهي للأم في حال وفاة الأب او جنونه او اعتباره مفقودا. واذا لم يكن للقاصر أب ولا أم فعلى المحكمة المختصة ان تعين له وصياً

11. Ethical challenges Steps taken at the request of IRB
Translation of informed consent form and questionnaires
Decision to interview in homes, not in occupational settings
Use of tablets to collect data from interviews

12. Ethical challenges_ Example

13. The story of Manal…
 How can we document the conditions faced by displaced working children in a quantitatively sound manner, and communicate the severity of the crisis to government agencies and the international community, while remaining empathetic and sensitive to the particularly vulnerable situation of refugees in rural Lebanon?

14. Recommendations Contextualize the IRB ethical guidelines
Adapt international food scale/questionnaires in sensitive settings
Recognize the urgency and role of advocacy

15.
Thank You