Demographic Profile of Syrians in Belgium

Abstract

Lebanon and Jordan host the second and third largest populations of Syrian refugees in the world. Most Syrians in both countries arrived in 2013–2014 and live in a situation of protracted displacement characterized by high levels of vulnerability. We provide an overview of the policy response to the Syrian refugee influx in Lebanon and Jordan, including entry, registration and education policy. We then use a combination of UNHCR registration data and two household surveys conducted in Jordan and Lebanon, respectively, in 2016 to compare the demographic profiles of the Syrian populations. Syrians in Jordan and Lebanon share broad similarities in their sociodemographic characteristics, including that both populations are overwhelmingly young and have low educational attainment. Differences in the two populations are likely a result of selective migration and the differential effects of refugee policies. In particular, Syrian children in Jordan have higher school enrollment rates than in Lebanon.