Over 50% young Syrian refugees are not optimistic about returning home
dubai — More than half of young Syrian refugees say they are unlikely to return home permanently, a study has found.
The findings are part of “A Voice for Young Syrian Refugees,” a survey carried out as part of the 9th annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey 2017, that interviewed 400 young Syrian refugees aged 18-24 years, who are living in refugee settlements in Jordan and Lebanon.
The study, focusing on the hopes, concerns and aspirations of young Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, revealed that 54 per cent of the youth interviewed said they are unlikely to return to Syria permanently. A total of 42 per cent said likely, while four per cent said they did not know.
The study also revealed that young refugees do not consider Bashar Al Assad leaving office as a prerequisite for reaching a peace agreement.
Just over a quarter (27 per cent) agreed with the statement, “there can be no peace agreement as long as Bashar Al Assad stays in office,” versus 71 per cent who said ending the fighting is more important than Assad leaving office, with two per cent saying they did not know.
Given a list of steps that need to be taken before they could return home, 47 per cent chose the war ends option as the most important, while 25 per cent said terrorist group Daesh leaving Syria, while the option Assad leaving was chosen by only seven per cent.
Many don’t believe that a military solution alone will resolve the crisis as 43 per cent said both political and military action together are needed to put an end to war.
The six-year long civil war in Syria has killed over 320,000 Syrians and left over 6 million Syrians internally displaced. Just over 5 million are registered as refugees outside of Syria, mostly in camps and settlements in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey and despite what the headlines in Europe suggest, only one in ten has fled further afield, attempting to seek refuge and asylum in Europe.
According to the World Bank, the war has so far cost the nation’s economy $226 billion.
Crucial Syrian voices
Sunil John, founder and CEO of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, said the young Syrian voices, which is a crucial demographic, has been excluded for years in the survey due to the political unrest.
“This year, we are redressing that omission and giving them separate attention. With the plight of Syrians — and especially those forced to flee the fighting — dominating headlines in the region and globally, we felt it was important to hear those voices,” said John.
He stated that the findings underline the need for finding alternate and lasting solutions to restore their optimism. “We hope the findings will inspire all stakeholders to identity more tangible solutions in addressing the challenges these young people face and identify new channels of engagement with them.”
There are currently 660,315 Syrian refugees in Jordan and over one million Syrians in Lebanon.
Roy Haddad, director of WPP Mena, said the Syrian crisis has impacted the social fibre of the Arab world. “It isn’t about having cities destroyed, but lives and futures being destroyed. With more than 50 per cent of Syrian population consist of young people who are dispersed with no employment or access to education, the war has left us with a lost generation,” said Haddad.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com
With more than 50 per cent of Syrian population consist of young people who are dispersed with no employment or access to education, the war has left us with a lost generation.”
It is a tremendous loss in generation and young people in exile. Youth is the future, they are the ones who will go back and rebuild the country. Giving them voice is crucial.”