Navigating Post-Divorce Challenges in Migration: Empowerment Strategies of Syrian Refugee Women in Türkiye

OpenAlex · English

This study explores the post-divorce experiences of Syrian refugee women living in Türkiye, employing a feminist social work lens with an emphasis on intersectionality. It examines the multidimensional challenges these women face, the coping mechanisms they adopt, and the empowerment strategies they develop in response. Guided by two central research questions—(1) What challenges do Syrian women encounter after divorce, and how do they cope? (2) What empowerment strategies emerge from these experiences?—the study frames participants as simultaneously navigating identities as women, refugees, and divorcees.* Based on qualitative data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 divorced Syrian women, the findings highlight intersecting legal, socio-cultural, and economic barriers shaped by gendered and displacement-related inequalities. The findings indicate that these women face intersectional challenges across legal, socio-cultural, and economic spheres due to their gender and refugee status. Additionally, the analysis reveals that the existing social services provided by both public and non-governmental organizations focus primarily on economic assistance rather than empowerment, highlighting the need for feminist social work and intersectional approaches to guide more transformative and rights-based interventions.