More than just a number: A closer look at individuals of the Syrian crisis

I’ve never lived this close to a war zone before. Amman is located approximately 70km (40 miles) away from the border with Syria but I have been as close to the border as 35km (21 miles). The conflict in Syria has been ongoing for three years with no end in sight. This has led to a mass exodus of Syrians into the neighboring region. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are over 2,700,000 Syrians currently registered as refugees, with tens of thousands said to be of concern to the agency and many waiting to be registered (http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php).

Jordan’s close proximity to Syria has made it one of the major havens for Syrians fleeing the conflict. Jordan is home to Zaatari refugee camp, the largest Syrian refugee camp and the second largest refugee camp in the world. However, the majority of Syrians residing in Jordan live outside of the camp. While refugees are afforded some measures of protection, there are many difficulties that a person faces as a refugee. For example in Jordan, Syrian refugees are not allowed to work. Refugees have access to meager social services at best, including housing and health services. Some Syrians have been more fortunate than others in being able to secure financial independence through obtaining jobs but many are not so lucky.

In my relatively short time here in Jordan, I have met a number of Syrians who come from different backgrounds. I have Syrian colleagues and my Arabic tutor is Syrian. Some Syrians have fared better than others. For all the Syrians I know who are doing well enough in these difficult circumstances, there are many more who have not been so fortunate. When hearing about this conflict, it is important to remember the impact it is having on the lives of individuals and how it has dramatically changed the course of their lives forever.

There is an elderly Syrian lady who lives nearby and comes to visit. Rather than spending her remaining years in the comfort of her home and her country, she tries to gather money from her neighbors in order to support her family. She talked about when she needed medicine from UNHCR services that she was treated poorly and humiliated; at the end of the day she left empty-handed and in tears. Fortunately this lady has had good fortune in meeting the manager of my organization who has helped her to obtain medicine in order to avoid another disheartening experience.

This conflict has spared no one; people from all generations are suffering. Children have been vulnerable to difficult circumstances that are beyond their years. Many children have had to stop their education for various reasons. Some children have to go to work to support their families while others are afraid to go to school after the traumatic experiences they encountered at their schools in Syria. Additionally, harassment from children in Jordan has posed threats to Syrian children in school, adding to the list of reasons not to attend.

Many girls and young women have fallen victim to sex trafficking, a trade which has taken advantage of people in a terrible situation. My organization has a shelter which offers a safe space for women who have been victims of a variety of crimes. A couple of weeks ago a group of young teenage girls, including many Syrians, were brought in by the police because they had been forced to work in a restaurant which doubled as a center for sex trafficking. In a society which views victims of sexual assault and rape with disdain and blames the victim for the crime, for these victims they face dire consequences.

While I may live relatively close to Syria, as an American living in Jordan I am afforded luxuries which many Syrians are not so fortunate to have. Outside of my job, in my free time it can be easy for me to forget about the conflict and all of the people who are suffering so close to me. However, I can be easily reminded of their plight when I least expect it. For example,  I went on a trip with some friends to the northern city of Jerash to explore the impressive roman ruins there. After having a fun day enjoying the ruins when driving through the city, we had numerous children and young women come up to our car at stop lights begging for money. This is not the first time I have encountered children and young women begging on the streets for money; sometimes it has been on trips to the Dead Sea or within Amman itself. These experiences are humbling, reminding me that poverty, particularly the poverty that many refugees are subject to is all around me here in Jordan.

My current experience has helped me to see a bit deeper into the effects of the Syrian crisis, particularly through the lives of Syrians themselves. When reading about a distant conflict in a place with which you have no connection, it can be easy to forget that the victims of the conflict are individuals just like you and me who were unfortunate to be put in a difficult situation which is out of their control. The consequences of these types of conflicts are as varied as the people affected by the crisis; sometimes it means that a child’s education is stopped or an elderly woman cannot get the medicine she needs, or perhaps it means the loss of a limb or a family member. Regardless, no matter how small a consequence may seem, for that individual their life has been changed forever.

 

Halfway around the world and back

In the past month and a half, I have traveled over 14,000 miles (22,000 kilometers), attended a conference at the UN, visited a city I have always wanted to see (NYC), returned home, hung out at the Dead Sea and the Pacific Ocean and most importantly, seen so many of my friends and family from all over the world. Here are some of the highlights of my travels.

New York City  

My first stop in my travels was to New York City. This was my first visit to New York as well as to the East Coast of the US. I was fortunate to stay in Midtown Manhattan, right next to the Chrysler Building and the United Nations Headquarters. New York stands true to its reputation as one of the great cities of the world. After having spent extensive amounts of time in other major cities such as London, Paris and Cairo, I have been lucky to add New York to my list of cities visited.

One of the highlights of my trip to New York was being able to participate in a United Nations conference, the Commission on the Status of Women. It was exciting to be around so many people from all over the world who were concerned with the welfare of women. I really enjoyed meeting accomplished and inspiring people in the human rights field. I especially enjoyed the event held by the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Ms. Rashida Manjoo.

In regards to the city itself, I have heard that New Yorkers are a bit cold, but I was pleasantly surprised in finding that the majority of them were extremely helpful and nice. New York is such a tall city; I was amazed at all of the impressive buildings in this city. The Chrysler Building has become one of my new favorite buildings. Central Park is beautiful with the New York skyline as a backdrop. I loved exploring Chinatown. One of my favorite things I did in New York was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Even in the rain it was beautiful and the views from the bridge were fantastic. If anyone has the chance to visit New York, I would definitely recommend it.

Chrysler Building

Empire State Building

United Nations Headquarters

Piece of the Berlin Wall at the UN

Central Park

Oregon  

There’s nothing quite like home. The more I travel the more I have come to appreciate my amazing corner of the world, Oregon. This is a diverse state which prides itself on its nature, quirky but lovable inhabitants and delicious, local food. I was fortunate to be able to be home for a month, which was wonderful as I had not been home in the past 14 months. Oregon shows off one of its best sides in the spring with everything in bloom. During my time home, I was able to visit Portland (one of my all-time favorite cities), roam the Willamette Valley, Redmond and make a couple of trips to the Oregon Coast. I was also able to spend a lot of time with my lovely family and friends.

Portland with a view of Mt. Hood

Springtime in the city

Willamette National Forest

Tulips!

Oregon Coast

Back to Amman

After many weeks of traveling, I arrived back in Amman.  It is so sunny and warm here, it already feels like summer. Overall my travels were fantastic. I am already looking forward to my next trip, wherever that may be.

The right place to be

So, what am I up to currently?

 It has taken me many years of working jobs which were less than enjoyable and multiple university degrees to finally be able to say I have a job that I like and I am passionate about. Over the years, the idea of what my dream job would be has changed as I have encountered new experiences. I am not sure I will ever figure out what my dream job looks like as my interests continue to change, but I can say I am fortunate to have the job I do now.

Jordanian Women’s Union

 I am currently a Project Coordinator at the Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU). JWU is a human rights organization whose goal is to achieve equality for women in Jordan and throughout the Arab world. JWU has 16 locations in Jordan, and operates throughout the Arab world working on regional projects such as human trafficking and domestic workers. As part of their mission to achieve gender equality, they have engaged in a variety of projects including: a hotline for essential social/psychological/legal services, a shelter for abused women, legal literacy courses and legislation reform. Their work has involved Jordanians along with refugees from many nationalities, including Syrians. They have implemented a variety of projects which complement one another, ensuring that women and their families receive the help they need. To read more about JWU, take a look at their website:

http://jwu.org.jo/Home.aspx?lng=1

One thing I really like about JWU is that their experience working with people on the ground positively impacts their work on issues such as legislation reform. They were the first organization to establish a shelter for abused women in Jordan in the 1990s. Their projects on trafficking and domestic workers have introduced innovative legislation reform on these issues to governments in countries such as Jordan, Egypt and Morocco.

I am currently assisting on a project through UN Women providing support to survivors of SGBV (Sexual and Gender based Violence). The focus is on assisting Syrians in particular, however women from all nationalities are welcome to access these services. One of the unique aspects of this project is a play being implemented on the issue of early marriage. Of the Syrian refugees in Jordan, approximately 70% of women are married under the age of 18, an overwhelming amount. There are many issues which arise when girls are married under the age of 18; these issues pertain to mental, emotional and physical problems. The majority of these girls do not finish a basic education and begin to have children right away. This play helps in addressing the issues which come from early marriage in a manner which is accessible to the audience.

Arab Women’s Network

 Through JWU, the Arab Women’s Network (ROA’A) was established. ROA’A is a feminist Arab network. It is composed of an alliance of Arab women’s organizations whose goal is to eliminate discrimination and violence against women as well as address issues of poverty and suffering throughout the Arab world. The members of ROA’A are from throughout the Arab region, including: Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Bahrain. For more information on ROA’A, take a look at their website:

http://arabwomennetwork.org/home_en.aspx

Commission on the Status of Women

 One of the many opportunities this position has created for me is the chance to attend a United Nations conference put on through the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York with JWU and ROA’A. As part of this event, I will attend events put on through governments, UN agencies and NGOs (non-governmental organizations). Our delegation will be putting on an event concerning the equality of women in the Arab world. After having spent so much time learning about the UN during my master’s degree, I am looking forward to participating in a UN conference. To learn more about the CSW, take a look at the following link:

http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw58-2014

Where I’m at now

 Through my position at JWU, I have been fortunate in learning first-hand about the operations of a human rights organization and the relationship between NGOs and UN agencies. I am looking forward to attending the CSW in addition to continuing to learn more about the human rights field and all of the different agencies/organizations which work within it. While it may have taken me awhile to get to where I’m at, I can finally say I’m in the right place.

Third time’s the charm

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” 
― Eleanor Roosevelt

To say that I am bad at blogging would be a bit of an understatement. With multiple attempts never making it past their second or third entry, my blogs tend to be short-lived. I think my problem in the past was that I went about blogging the wrong way…my subject matter always consisted of things that I thought other people would want to read rather than what I was interested in actually talking about. I recently came to the realization that after extensive expat experience in four countries (France, Egypt, United Kingdom and Jordan) in addition to my various travels in between that with everything I have learned, what is the point in learning it if I keep this knowledge all to myself? Therefore, I have decided to try blogging once again and inshallah (god willing) this blog will last a bit longer than the others.

A little bit about myself…

I am a 25 year old American female living and working in Amman, Jordan. After completing my master’s degree in human rights at Kingston University in London in September 2013, I knew that I wanted to head back to the Arab world, a region which first ignited my passion for human rights.

Why human rights?

The responses I received about my interest in human rights have varied greatly, particularly by location. When I told people in the US about my interest in human rights, most people say, “What’s that?” When I told people in the UK, most people had at least heard of the concept of human rights, even if they didn’t know much about them. When I told people in Jordan, they said, “That’s great, we need that here.” Human rights are something which is not fully appreciated until they are gone. For people living in places where human rights are more respected than not, many people do not even realize how good their lives are as a result of their rights being respected and upheld.

In 2010 I began a master’s degree in International Relations at The American University in Cairo. Alongside my studies, I had an internship as a Legal Intern at St. Andrew’s Resettlement Legal Aid Project. At this internship I helped refugees prepare their cases in applying for resettlement in countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia. During this internship I worked with refugees one on one, interviewing them about their lives. I learned about their past traumatic experiences which made them refugees in the first place and the continued harrowing experiences they encountered by living in Egypt. They told me about their experiences of receiving multiple death threats, having their businesses and homes destroyed, their disabled children being beaten in the street, their children kidnapped, their family members being murdered and of being raped themselves…all because they were being persecuted for various reasons.

This internship completely changed me. Up until that point, I had never given human rights much thought. But after this experience, I decided to pursue a degree in human rights in London. I could not have made a better choice…the education I received through my master’s degree was exactly what I was looking for. It equipped me with the skills and knowledge I needed in order to pursue a career within the human rights field.

So here I am, a human rights activist, feminist, traveler and lover of new experiences, living in the Middle East, all the time learning that I have much more to learn about well, everything. As part of this blog I want to write about human rights issues, my life as an expat and my thoughts on the Middle East. I hope this blog sheds some insights into my life and my experiences. From taking up belly dancing classes to never-ending cultural misunderstandings, I like to think of my life as a series of adventures which help to shape me for the better. Life is for living, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.