Living in a Refugee Camp: The Syrian Case in Jordan

Abstract

The humanitarian crisis in Syria has led to millions of refugees fleeing the war zone to settle in neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Turkey. This chapter deals with the Syrian refugees who live in campus in Jordan; the events they witnessed have caused multi-faceted trauma to the refugees in their new environment. Pre-emigration stressors include loss of close relatives, unsafe situations, starvation, bombing, arrest, physical and sexual abuse, as well as torture. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety affect a large quantity of the Syrian refugee population, and physical, emotional, and social problems, such as children being coerced to marry while living in a refugee camp in Jordan. Post-emigration, refugees are also exposed to social exclusion and discrimination, lack of respect, high unemployment rates, and economic difficulties associated with low levels of access to basic social services, including health services.