Refugee Widow Camps – LIFESTYLE BY PS icon

Refugee Widow Camps


Widow refugee camps are set up to provide support for women who have lost their husbands due to conflict or persecution. 

These camps typically offer widow refugees a safe place to stay, as well as access to essential services such as food, water, and medical care. 

widow refugee camps can also provide psychosocial support and counseling services to help widows cope with the trauma of losing their husbands.

Challenges in refugee widows camps

Lack of social cohesion:

In many cases, the women in refugee camps have come from different environments, regions and cultures. 

Lack of privacy

Refugee camps are often crowded and there is little to no privacy. This can be difficult for women who are used to having their own space.

Lack of resources

Refugee camps often lack basic resources like food, water, and shelter. 

This can make it difficult for women to care for themselves and their children.

Violence

violence is a common problem in refugee camps. 

Women may be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking.

Children challenges

Single mothers in refugee camps face particular challenges. 

They may have fled conflict or persecution without their husbands, or their husbands may have died during the journey to safety. 

Many are struggling to care for their children alone, without any family support.

Protection challenges in refugee widows camps

The number of refugee widow’s is increasing as the conflict in Syria drags on, and these women face a range of protection challenges in camps and other settings, a new report has found.

The study, conducted by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the UN University's Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), interviewed 72 Syrian widows living in camps in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.

It found that nearly all of the women had experienced some form of violence since becoming widowed, including psychological abuse, sexual harassment and forced marriage.

More than half of the widows said they had been threatened with violence, and one in four said they had actually been physically abused.

refugee widows Forced to work

For refugee widows, this often means they are forced to enter the workforce in order to support their families. 

This can be a difficult transition, as they may not have any work experience or relevant skills. Additionally, they may face discrimination due to their status as refugees.

Despite these challenges, there are many refugee widows who have been able to find employment and support their families.