The life experiences of Syrian women who have experienced forced migration regarding Elazig earthquake

It is known that the level of being affected by an earthquake varies according to factors such as the resources owned, the level of access to resources, and social status. In the research, it is emphasized that Syrian women have many different experiences during and after the earthquake due to being both immigrants and women, and these unique experiences are evaluated in the context of migration, earthquake and gender needs and problems. The aim of this study is to reveal the life experiences of Syrian women during and after the earthquake, who experienced the 6.8 magnitude earthquake disaster that took place in Elazig on January 24, 2020 and to identify the consequences arising from the interaction of disaster, migration and women's problems, and to offer suggestions regarding social services in disasters in this direction. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 Syrian women living in the city center of Elâzığ, who were single and had children at the time of the earthquake disaster, using a semi-structured interview form and analyzed using the MAXQDA 2020 program. The findings of this study are shows that; in Elazig, where Syrian women settled after their war and migration experiences, leaving their economic resources and social support systems behind; they are more vulnerable to earthquakes compared to the local people because they reside in regions with a relatively low socioeconomic level of the society and they are immigrants and women living alone. And it shows that they face social exclusion, discrimination and inequalities in accessing rights and services, and they experience loss of rights due to lack of information about institutions and organizations responsible for social assistance and services. It is seen that these conditions of Syrian women are related to their being kept away from education, business life and public sphere in patriarchal societies and deepened in the context of established gender inequalities. However, it is seen that the past traumatic experiences of Syrian women, who are the subject of difficult living conditions such as war and migration, strengthen them and make them more resilient fighters in terms of the psychological and emotional effects of the earthquake. In this sense, it is evaluated that there is a need for social work practices in disasters that are sensitive to a wide variety of problems and needs of Syrian women, who represent a group with high vulnerability in disasters, and adopt the principles of human rights, social justice and equality.