Impact of Displacement on Child Marriage Amongst Syrian Refugee Communities in Jordan and Lebanon

To be a part of this online event, please email Dr Maren Elfert to receive the link.

 

While global numbers of child marriage are in slow decline each year, prevalence data in conflict-affected countries shows the reverse. This seminar will consider the impact of displacement on the nature and experience of child marriage, drawing on a qualitative study undertaken across Syrian refugee communities in Jordan and Lebanon. While displacement clearly exacerbates the well-known drivers of child marriage such as poverty and gender inequality, participants also talk about the use of child marriage to create new family connections, and create futures for girls in a context of uncertainty and difficulty. Yet process gaining ‘consent’ to marriage are highly problematic. The research amplified the voices of girls who have experienced child marriage and what changes they believe would make a difference to them.

Speaker

Dr Aisha Hutchinson is a Lecturer in Social Sciences, in the School of Education Communication and Society at King’s College London. Her main research interests include international child protection, adolescent girls in contexts of humanitarian aid and child marriage.