ABSTRACT
Adolescents are rarely considered as a distinct group within research about refugees, and relatively little is known about the lives and experiences of adolescent refugees in Rwanda. Rarely are adolescents’ perspectives, experiences and opinions sought, and their participation in decision-making [educational, economic, political] is limited. Our data are drawn from qualitative evidence collected in three Rwandan refugee camps from individual and group interactions with male and female adolescents, including adolescents who had given birth before age 20. Evidence focuses on two capability areas: education and learning and, psychosocial wellbeing. Gendered norms for adolescents affect educational outcomes and psychosocial wellbeing, and adolescent mothers experience multiple stressors to their psychosocial wellbeing.
Our evidence highlights the extreme vulnerability – with lifelong implications – of some adolescent refugees. Refugee adolescent mothers face exceptionally heightened vulnerabilities because of the social stigma associated with non-marital pregnancy and childbearing. Investing in the lives of adolescent refugees – particularly those who are pregnant or mothers – is likely to yield significant medium- long-term dividends in terms of their life chances.
