Multi-Dimensional Challenges for Syrian Refugees: Case Study of Ankara

Abstract

Although the COVID-19 pandemic affects the world as a whole, current studies show that identity categories such as class, age, gender, health status, disability, immigration, residence and ethnicity differentiate the experiences of individuals. This study aims to provide an insight into the challenges Syrian refugees face during the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on in-depth interviews with 30 Syrian refugees living in Önder and Battalgazi Neighborhood in Ankara. This research shows that refugees face multi-layered challenges on two separate grounds associated with the pandemic. The former is the challenges posed by the pandemic as shared with all Turkish citizens and the latter is the difficulties specifically pertaining to refugee identities in accessing information and services, intensified by the pandemic. This study details how the experiences of Syrian refugees with various identity categories differ on both grounds.