When Caged Birds Sing: Report of Syrian Adolescent Girls

This publication is an attempt to highlight the plight of adolescent girls who have survived what is arguably the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. The information, stories and quotations provided not only shed light on the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis, but also highlight their hopes, aspirations and their courageous efforts to find their place amid the chaos of conflict.

The narratives presented in this publication, including the stories and quotations, were acquired via direct interactions with Syrian adolescent girls and their families throughout the region, including inside Syria and within refugee camps and host communities in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. Given the sensitive nature of the subjects discussed and the protection issues associated with telling these stories, special care has been taken to adhere to the wishes of these girls with regards to the type of information disclosed, e.g., when it comes to the use of real names, hometowns and current locations. Because of this, no real names feature in these accounts. Moreover, details of hometowns and current whereabouts feature only intermittently in accordance with the wishes of those interviewed and/or quoted.