Collateral Damage Syria: Women and Girls Fleeing Violence

In September 2013, Women’s eNews sent a three-person multi-media team to Jordan to cover and share the stories of Syrian female refugees living in that country. Some have said this century is the century of the refugee and, if so, these pieces may be emblematic of the experiences of all women fleeing armed conflicts.

Women’s eNews Arabic site editor Dominique Soguel, staff reporter Hajer Naili and development associate Touline Habake spent a month reporting from refugee camps, including Jordan’s largest camp Za’atari, and surrounding suburban neighborhoods serving displaced Syrian families. On the ground in Jordan, Women’s eNews also found extraordinary talent who helped the team throughout their stay. These fixers, who provided everything from sources to translation and transportation to cultural background, included Maher Abdallatef, Radwan Abdellatef, Shafika Mattar and Mayss al-Zoubi.

Women’s eNews’ reporters were the first to draw attention to the large numbers of refugees returning to Syria under the cover of night to look for a better life in their homeland and because they missed male family members. In addition, the series covers a wide range of issues from lost educational opportunities for Syrian girls to the difficult economic choices Syrian women have to make to support themselves and their families.

Alongside these stories are related videos and photo galleries, as well as an oral history project to preserve the stories of Syrian women living as refugees.