Early marriage and barriers to contraception among Syrian refugee women in Lebanon: a qualitative study

This study aligns with what we know about child marriage among Syrian refugees in Jordan.

Women interviewed for this research were aware of the harmful consequences of child marriage and adolescent pregnancy. However, expecting higher risks of sexual assaults on girls in Lebanon, parents in refugee communities turned to child marriage to try to protect their daughters. Parents have also been sending their daughters from Syria to get married in Lebanon as a way to escape the conflict and protect them.

In a context of poverty, Syrian families in Lebanon used marriage as a way to transfer the responsibility of protecting and providing for daughters to the husband.

The study calls for more interventions to educate and empower girls and their families and improve their financial stability and sense of security.