Two years on, refugee women in Turkey tell their stories about overcoming the impact COVID-19 left on their lives.
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Refugee women in Turkey tell their stories.
Refugees and migrants are more likely to be exposed to common mental disorders
It has been over two years since COVID-19 hit the world. A lockdown was imposed in many countries, including Turkey, and people were forced to stay at home. During that period, many organizations dedicated their efforts to supporting refugees’ mental health through online activities.
The restrictions are lifted now but COVID-19’s impact on economy and employment continues. Refugees, who have been through displacement and difficulties caused by it, are more vulnerable in these circumstances.
According to WHO, refugees and migrants are more likely to be exposed to common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Meanwhile, many asylum seekers lack access to mental health services or face barriers in reaching them.
The situation gets even more sensitive for women and young girls who can be exposed to gender-based violence. “We were suffering from stress and exhaustion because we were always haunted by what we experienced during the conflict,” says Rama, a mother of three children in Sanliurfa.
Danish Refugee Council’s team held online support sessions to reach refugee women.
"I cannot find a job"
“After the pandemic, our mental health was completely shattered.” Selma, another mother living in Gaziantep, commented after Rama.
“I feel as if I am living in a desert,” she says.
“I cannot find a job because I am considered too old. My two sons spend the whole day outside for work, so I have to stay at home, alone.”
To respond to the challenges faced by refugees, the Danish Refugee Council’s team held online support sessions to reach refugee women who could not access mental health services. The sessions are part of a series of psychosocial support activities, funded by the European Union through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.
They aim to promote self-awareness and self-acceptance, build a supportive social network for refugee women and help them cope with daily stressors. It is often also a chance to sensitize them to gender-based violence and discrimination.
“I used to scream at my children for no reason"
In total, 12 female refugees from different provinces participated in those sessions. “It was important for those women to have their own space so they could feel safe and talk about their daily struggles,” says Mirvet, DRC’s protection assistant and the facilitator of the sessions. “We had to hold the sessions online because those women are not able to reach health services in their areas due to the language barriers and the fact that most of them have young children to take care of.”
The women were encouraged to identify the main sources of their stress, and develop their interpersonal skills. Initially, participants find it hard to express their emotions fully, but they soon learn to express their emotions effectively. “I used to scream at my children for no reason or sleep for long hours,” says Rama. “I did not know they were signs of stress until I started attending those sessions,”. Later, participants discussed ways to protect themselves against any form of abuse or psychological harm and build their own support networks. “The sessions were really useful,” says Rama. “We are now able to identify the signs of stress and emotional exhaustion and able to deal with them.”
