From Syria to safety
One woman’s story of early marriage, conflict and recovery. Photography by Abbie Trayler-Smith.
“The day I left Jordan for Syria, from the moment the car began to move, I felt like I was leaving for a new world.”
Amira’s experience of fleeing the conflict in Syria may not be typical of every Syrian woman. But at just 22 years old, she’d already endured trauma of a different kind, before the war even began. She was married when she was just 13, gave birth to a daughter at 14, and was then divorced and forced to marry again by the time she was 17.
It’s no wonder that starting a new life in Jordan may have seemed like an opportunity as well as a challenge.
“I felt happy and free for the first time”, says Amira*.
“I felt like I’d been liberated.”
Watch Amira’s story
Amira’s first husband had been abusive from the beginning, beating her even when she was pregnant. He divorced her after the birth of her daughter, and the child was taken away. She hasn’t seen her daughter again, and doesn’t know where she is, although she thinks she is still in Syria.
As if that wasn’t enough, Amira was then forced to marry again at 17. By the time she was 19 she’d had two sons with her second husband — and then he was killed in the conflict in Syria.
She stayed with her second husband’s family for a year after his death, but life was difficult with them too. On top of this, the conflict in Syria eventually became too much. She finally decided to flee to Jordan.
“I couldn’t bear it or stay silent any longer”, she says.
“Whenever I fell asleep I was afraid we’d be killed. I was worried about my sons. My brother had been injured. Our home had been damaged.
“We had lost almost everything.”
Since arriving in Jordan, Amira has been receiving support from the International Rescue Committee (IRC). They run run 3 women’s centers in the north of the country, where Syrian refugee women can go to meet, talk, and access services such as psycho-social counselling.
The centres also provide information and group activities, such as discussions around the use of financial assistance, language classes, and recreational sessions. IRC’s work is supported by UK aid from the Department for International Development.
As well as counselling, Amira has been receiving cash assistance to help cover her basic needs — about 100 Jordanian dinars a month (about £90). Like many Syrian women, she arrived with little more than the clothes she was wearing. The money she was able to bring with her was quickly depleted by the cost of renting a basic apartment to live in.
IRC’s social workers, psychologists and outreach teams are working to identify particularly vulnerable women, especially those who have been victims of, or are at risk of, gender-based violence (GBV)— including early marriage of the kind the Amira has experienced.
“After I came here and started to receive some psychological support, I began to feel I’m more open”, Amira explains.
“At first I couldn’t deal with it, but the counsellor was so good and patient, and wanted to help me overcome my situation.
“I was overwhelmed with sadness, but now my morale is soaring”.
“The support has helped me to deal with my family, to overcome my sadness and live independently, not depending on anyone.
“I want to live up to the responsibility now and care for my sons, to be proud of them in the future”.
Amira’s story may not be typical of every Syrian women in Jordan. But she’s not alone in facing many challenges as a single mother in an unfamiliar country.
There are over 600,000 registered Syrian refugees in Jordan, and maybe another 500,000 who aren’t registered. Across the region, there more than 3.8 million Syrians have become refugees.
As the Syrian crisis enters it’s fifth year, it has placed many thousands of women and girls at risk of violence, exploitation and insecurity. Due to the conflict and population displacement, many of the most vulnerable households are now headed by women, who often lack the necessary assets to meet their needs and those of their children.
The UK has provided £28.3 million to support IRC’s Syria crisis response, and more than £800 million to the overall international humanitarian efforts.
To find out more about IRC’s work, and to help, please visit: http://www.rescue-uk.org/syria
*Amira’s name has been changed to protect her identity.
