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According to the United Nations Report (2017), over 65.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide in 2015. Nearly 21.3 million were refugees, the majority of whom were under the age of 18. More than half of the refugees came from war-stricken countries such as Syria (4.9 million), Afghanistan (2.7 million) and Somalia (1.1 million), with nearly 34,000 people fleeing their homes as a result of violence and conflict every day. This is the highest level of displacement on record.

The living conditions of refugees are bleak. Based on a study of 150,000 Syrian refugees living in camps in Jordan in 2014, nearly two-thirds were living below the national poverty line. Access to heating, reliable electricity and adequate sanitation were also problematic (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 2014). It is no wonder that the physical and psychological well-being of refugees are impeded by these circumstances.

Communicable diseases are major causes of morbidity among refugees. Children under the age of 5 are most vulnerable, with cases of measles, respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea and severe acute malnutrition soaring at high levels. The risk of anaemia is also a challenge for refugee women and children. The psychological and social well-being of refugees is also a cause for concern. A systematic review exploring the psychosocial challenges of Syrian refugees in Jordan showed that psychological distress was generally experienced by refugees and was often exacerbated by environmental (e.g., financial, housing, employment) issues and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., loss of role and social support, inactivity) (Wells et al., 2016). Furthermore, in a recent study investigating the prevalence of insomnia among refugees in Jordan, it was found that the majority of refugees had moderate to severe insomnia. Incidence of insomnia was predicted by factors such as older age, living in the city of Mafraq, poor education, unemployment, and lack of access to medication (Al-Smadi et al., 2017).

Understanding the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers is important in informing plans to alleviate these issues. Participatory engagement and ethical reporting are necessary to ensure that recommendations are based on evidence that is meaningful and useful on the ground. For example, McCarthy and Marks (2010) facilitated participatory action research to explore the health and well-being of refugee and asylum-seeking children. The research process suggests that although young refugees often face many challenges in their new life, they are able to find enough strength and resilience to cope with these issues. Similarly, Haaken and O’Neill (2014) used participatory visual methods to explore the experiences of women migrants and asylum seekers in the UK. Through photography and videography, participants were able to share their stories of seeking refuge in the UK. As an outcome of the project, a 10-minute video was developed which conveyed the complexities of the asylum process and also reflected historical and social dynamics of their experiences.