It’s a warm sunny day when we approach Syrian couple Mona and Yaser’s home in North Lebanon. As we walk up the cracked staircase leading to their home, we are greeted by one of their sons, Malek.
Malek is a shy boy. As he is bullied by children in his neighbourhood, he never goes outside. This is increasingly becoming a common issue among Syrian children in Lebanon.
“My mum doesn’t allow me to defend myself when the other children are mean. She is afraid that I get into trouble and wants me to avoid them,” says Malek. He misses Syria, where he had many friends and relatives.
Syrians risk their lives for identity papers
Young Syrian boys like Malek face many challenges in Lebanon. Children turning fifteen need to obtain legal residency by providing formal identification documents issued by the Syrian government. This documentation is impossible to obtain without entering Syria, and some family members often embark on a dangerous journey, risking their lives to obtain identity documents. The alternative is to live in Lebanon in fear.
I didn’t know his whereabouts for days. When we finally found him, his uncle risked travelling to Syria to get him identity papers.Mona, mother and Syrian refugee in Lebanon.
If a boy like Malek is stopped by security services, he risks being arrested and detained. Alongside this is an ever-present fear of deportation to Syria, where boys of his age are vulnerable to forced conscription.
Malek’s brother Jamil was recently detained at a military checkpoint because he didn’t have a residency permit.
“I didn’t know his whereabouts for days. When we finally found him, his uncle risked travelling to Syria to get him identity papers. It cost us 600 USD which we can’t afford for Malek,” Mona explains.
Lacking identity papers can also keep youth from getting an education as they are unable to move freely to reach their schools.
“What happens when my son needs to complete ninth grade and has to get to another area to do his exams? Will he be arrested?” Mona asks.
Ways forward
NRC is working with authorities in Lebanon to find a solution to support fifteen-year-olds without residency permits.
Children like Malek can still attend school, and take their exams even if they lack legal residency. However, many Syrian refugees in his age group are reluctant to take the heightened risk of arrest and detention that comes with travelling to school. Consequently, many drop out of school, either for this reason or because they need to work to support their families. Under fifteen per cent of Syrian youth in Lebanon attend secondary school.
Desiring a better future
Mona and Yaser’s family left their home in Homs and fled to Lebanon in 2011. Since then, they have been displaced several times.
“My children have lost hopes for a better future. But I hope they and their generation will see better days than what we are experiencing today,” Mona concludes.
