Peer-reviewed article
‘No One Should Be Terrified Like I Was!’ Exploring Drivers and Impacts of Child Marriage in Protracted Crises Among Palestinian and Syrian Refugees
Bassam A. Abu Hamad, Samah Elamassie, Erin M. Oakley, Sarah Alheiwidi, Sarah Baird ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study compares child marriage among Syrian refugees in Jordan and Palestinian refugees in Gaza, examining why it happens and what effects it has on girls. The research finds that conflict and displacement increase child marriage by strengthening traditional norms around family honour and clan relationships, while poverty is a major driver among Syrian refugees. Social protection programmes and education for girls have helped reduce child marriage in Gaza, but the practice causes serious harm to girls' health and well-being in both settings.
Key points
- Child marriage among Syrian refugees appears to be increasing after 9 years of conflict, while the previous decline in Gaza has plateaued
- Conflict reignites pre-existing cultural drivers of child marriage, particularly conservative norms around family honour and clan inter-marriage
- Poverty is identified as a strong driver of child marriage among Syrian refugees
- Social protection programmes and educational opportunities for girls have played a protective role in preventing child marriage in Gaza
- Child marriage has multiple and intersecting negative effects on girls' health and bodily integrity in both contexts
Limitations
The study does not specify the sample sizes, age ranges of participants, or detailed methodology for the mixed-methods approach. It is unclear what specific social protection programmes and educational opportunities in Gaza are most effective or how their impact was measured.
Abstract
Abstract Exacerbated by 9 years of conflict and displacement, child marriage among Syrian refugees appears to be increasing, while in Gaza, the noticeable reduction in child brides over the past two decades has recently plateaued. This comparative study explores drivers and consequences of child marriage in protracted crises, drawing on mixed-methods research from Gaza and Jordan with married adolescent girls and their parents. Our findings suggest that conflict reignites pre-existing drivers of child marriage, especially conservative norms around family honour and clan inter-marriage. Poverty is a strong driver of child marriage among Syrian refugees, while social protection programmes and educational opportunities for girls have played a protective role in Gaza. In both contexts, our findings underscore the multiple and intersecting negative effects of child marriage on girls’ health and bodily integrity, and point to the urgency of tackling this harmful practice to ensure that no adolescent is left behind.