Drivers of child marriage among Syrian refugees in Lebanon

Title: Drivers of child marriage among Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This thesis investigates the factors contributing to child marriage among Syrian refugee families in Lebanon within the context of forced migration. The study begins by reviewing literature on child marriage in forced migration settings, emphasizing the sociological studies and sociocultural norms. This study employs a qualitative research method, utilizing a small sample and carefully selected participants, based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews that focus on open-ended questions. The aim is to provide answers from interviewees and explore the connection between the challenges these refugees encounter and the socio-cultural dynamics during forced migration that promote child marriage practices. The first part of the interviews focuses on the challenges that Syrian refugees face in Lebanon and how these challenges influence family decisions regarding child marriage during forced migration. The second part explores socio-cultural norms and their relationship to child marriage. This thesis aims to fill gaps in the existing literature regarding child marriage among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, which often overlooks the socio-cultural norms that significantly contribute to child marriage. Therefore, this study identifies various factors and hypotheses that, on one side, relate to traditional Syrian (Islamic) culture and, on the other side, pertain to the social and economic context that Syrian refugees encounter in Lebanon. The findings reveal that child marriage among Syrian families in Lebanon occurs as a consequence of the challenges parents face in a hostile social environment and discriminatory policies that exacerbate their precarious social and economic situations, which in turn influence prevailing dominant social norms and religious beliefs, leading to the justification of child marriage, a practice that subjects girls to symbolic violence. Parents often resort to this practice to alleviate their economic and social burdens.