More than a decade after being displaced, Syrian women in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) are struggling to find basic accommodation and food, according to a recent report from Women for Women International. Predictably, nearly 80 per cent of women surveyed said their financial situation had got worse since they were forced to flee the war in their home country, citing a lack of work opportunities, low incomes and the high cost of goods.
Over 6.8 million people have left Syria since 2011, 1 million of them women. Nearly 260,000 Syrian refugees are in the KRI. Researchers spoke to 112 women in three refugee camps there – Kawargosk, Darashakran and Basirma, and found that the economic support they had received on arrival had reduced over the years. There are also issues with accessing healthcare and navigating the resettlement process. Many said they faced discrimination and harassment.
