An Exploration of the Dimensions of Exclusion Associated with Intimate Violence Among Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

Former Research Assistant Maryam Alkubati and Executive Senior Research Fellow Muto Ako of the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development have contributed a chapter titled “An Exploration of the Dimensions of Exclusion Associated with Intimate Violence Among Syrian Refugees in Lebanon” to the book “Conflict and Post-Conflict Governance in the Middle East and Africa.” This volume employs multiple perspectives to explore the challenges to inclusive governance in the Middle East and Africa. The book is edited by Moosa A. Elayah and Laurent A. Lambert of the Doha Institute of Graduate Studies in Qatar.

The chapter contributed by Alkubati and Muto focuses on the challenges that confront Syrian refugees in Lebanon, particularly women and girls who comprise the majority of the refugee population. It investigates the link between exclusion and domestic and intimate partner violence (DV/IPV) against women in refugee settings, utilizing sociological standpoints to examine the dimensions of exclusion experienced by refugees. Refugees experience multiple losses due to displacement: for instance, the absence of social networks and economic resources can result in their exclusion. The chapter highlights the negative impact of social, economic, and legal exclusion on the livelihoods, mobility, and social networks of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, contending that these facets promote the prevalence of DV/IPV. The chapter concludes with recommendations for research and policy development to establish more effective interventions for refugee women and DV/IPV survivors living in host communities.