Titled “Not Without Dignity,” the 68 page report launched by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) looks at three main subject areas: the experiences of refugees and their concerns and fears, the social impacts of displacement and conflict, and the expectations among refugees of return and coexistence.

The conflict, which has seen some 12 million Syrian citizens displaced either internally or externally since 2011, is still no nearer conclusion, but the report notes that including their voices and experiences is essential to the success of their eventual return.

“The participation of displaced persons and other victims in discussions about what return will look like in Syria is a process that can begin now, even in the face of the challenges presented by ongoing violence and displacement. This research project is part of that process,“ the report notes.

Among the sometimes harrowing accounts of torture, violence, sexual abuse and armed conflict, the report highlights the desire among respondents for dignity.

“From the richest to the poorest, from the most integrated to those trying to escape Lebanon’s harsh living conditions, dignity was identified as a common loss, beginning with the very fact of their displacement by a war that has changed their lives forever.”

It recommends seven areas that should be included in efforts to assist refugees at present, and in the ongoing plans for their return to Syria once the conflict has concluded, including improved education and empowerment of children and women, better interaction between different social and ethnic groups, and widening the research into the experiences of Syrian refugees across the region.

To read more, please visit:

www.ictj.org/sites/default/files/ICTJ_Report_Syria_NotWithoutDignity.pdf