"We Can't Afford the Cost of a Burial Shroud If Something Were to Happen to Someone": Economic Precarity and Multidimensional Deprivation Among Syrian Refugee Families in Lebanon

Background and Purpose: Refugees are among the communities most at risk of experiencing poverty and economic precarity, especially when displaced to countries facing their own economic and social challenges. Lebanon, a country with the highest number of refugees per capita, provides a clear example of the deprivation experienced by refugees in fragile contexts. The country is in the midst of an economic crisis that began during a period of political instability and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis has been described by the World Bank as one of the world’s worst in recent history, and the 1.5 million Syrian refugees residing in the country have faced increased rates of poverty and economic hardship as a result. According to the UNHCR, 9 out of 10 Syrian refugees in Lebanon need humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs, and 88% are in debt.

This qualitative study examines Syrian refugee families’ experiences with economic precarity and multidimensional deprivation from the perspectives of female caregivers residing in an urban setting in Lebanon. It goes beyond income based descriptions of poverty to explore the different ways in which economic precarity and deprivation manifest in their lives and the impact on their physical and mental health.

Methods: 45- to 90-minute semi-structured interviews were held with 20 Syrian refugee women who had an average age of 37 and were living in Beirut since before the economic crisis. Participants were recruited by two local refugee-serving nonprofits through phone calls. The interviews were conducted in the local Arabic dialects, transcribed verbatim, then translated into English. A phenomenological hermeneutic approach was employed to thematically analyze the transcripts using NVivo.

Results: Participants reported experiencing deprivation and precarity across multiple domains. They described challenges associated with employment, including limited opportunities, poor working conditions, insufficient compensation, and discrimination. They also described being unable to access basic needs such as food, water, and electricity. Housing insecurity was a common theme, with most participants experiencing poor housing conditions, inability to pay rent, and threats of eviction. Multiple participants described being in debt and being unable to secure education opportunities for their children.

Participants reported numerous health challenges associated with their poor working and living conditions that were compounded by an inability to access healthcare. Some even avoided consulting with doctors about ongoing health concerns as they believed they would not be able to afford treatment. Their mental health was also affected, with many describing feelings of hopelessness, psychological tiredness, and parental inadequacy. Some families experienced reversal of traditional familial roles as mothers or children became the primary breadwinners. This sometimes caused tension in the household, which further exacerbated mental health challenges.

Conclusions and Implications: This study illustrates the multiple forms of deprivation and economic precarity experienced by Syrian refugee families in Lebanon and demonstrates how these experiences translate into poor health outcomes. The findings have implications for economic integration and education policies, economic empowerment, wraparound support, and mental health programs, and the measurement of poverty among forcibly displaced communities in fragile contexts.