This study explores the lived experiences of refugee and migrant K–12 female students in Türkiye, focusing on how forced migration shapes their educational trajectories, safety, and psychosocial well-being. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with refugee girls and key stakeholders working in education, social services, and child protection. Findings reveal that refugee girls face intersecting challenges, including disrupted schooling, language barriers, economic hardship, caregiving responsibilities, and heightened exposure to gender-based risks such as early marriage, domestic labor, and violence. Limited access to psychosocial support services and fragmented coordination between educational, health, and social institutions further exacerbate these vulnerabilities. The study demonstrates that girls’ school experiences are shaped not by migration or gender alone, but by the intersection of age, poverty, displacement, and weak institutional protection. These findings underscore the need for trauma-informed, gender-sensitive, and rights-based educational policies that integrate psychosocial support and child protection mechanisms to promote refugee girls’ educational inclusion, resilience, and long-term well-being in Türkiye.

Authors:
Nadire Gülçin Yildiz, Boğaziçi University, Türkiye

About the Presenter(s)
Assoc. Prof. Nadire Gülçin YILDIZ
Boğaziçi University, Faculty of Education
Department of Educational Sciences, Office# 211
34342 Sarıyer, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE

Education > Psychological Counseling and Guidance > Family Counseling
Education > School Cou

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