2013

The conflict in Syria has forced more than two million people out of the country, among whom Syrian Armenians, one of the significant Christian diaspora communities in the Middle East.  A growing number of Syrian Armenians find refuge in Armenia.  According to the Ministry of Diaspora of Republic of Armenia (RoA), there are around 11, 000 Syrian Armenians currently residing in Armenia.

In the Syrian context, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) has been singled out as one of the most salient features of the conflict. UNHCR Armenia commissioned a study within the Syrian community in Armenia in order to identify the forms and prevalence of SGBV among the women of the community.

Particularly, the study aimed at:

· Outlining the present and past livelihood strategies among the displaced Syrian community;

· Shedding light on the school attendance of displaced children from Syria;

· Profiling those who have already experienced violence and those most at risk among Syrians in Armenia;

· Identifying root causes of SGBV in the community;

· Revealing SGBV experiences of displaced women from Syria;

· Identifying perceptions  and attitudes of displaced women from Syria towards SGBV;

· Ensuring equal coverage of different socio-economic clusters of the displaced Syrian community;

· Identifying the general level of response and challenges faced by SGBV survivors.

In order to address the above-mentioned objectives, both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used, specifically a survey which involved face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. The findings of the survey are available at "Women displaced from Syria seeking safe haven in Armenia".