Arabic here
Dari here
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Dear participants of the PARFORM study!
Four years have passed since we have started interviewing you and other young men from Syria and Afghanistan about the living situation in Germany. Our study will soon be coming to an end, so we would like to thank you for your participation and share the first results with you
Who took part?
Over 3,400 men from Syria and Afghanistan between the ages of 20 and 39 took part in the study. Most of them came to Germany in 2015 and now live in various cities throughout Germany. The vast majority (84%) of respondents are Muslim, 11% of respondents do not belong to any religious community and 4% are Christian.
- 16% of respondents were already German citizens. A further 14% had permanent residence status in Germany;
- 80% of respondents described their German language skills as good or very good;
- the vast majority were employed (58%), studying (13%) or in training (13%).
Friendships and partnerships
Among other things, our study examines whether and how easily the respondents find friends and romantic partners. Almost all, namely 96%, state that they have male friends and acquaintances. 70% of respondents state that they have female friends and acquaintances.
Almost half of all respondents reported being in a relationship at the time of the survey. Of these, 53.9% are already married. The wives and partners of the respondents are predominantly (71%) from the same countries as the respondents themselves. 15% of the respondents have a German partner. A similar number (approx. 14%) have a partner who was born in another country.
In around 61% of all partnerships, both partners belong to the same religion. In some cases (10%), the partners belong to different religions. In 29% of all partnerships, at least one person does not belong to a religious community.
Worries and life satisfaction
We are also interested in how satisfied the participants are with their lives and which issues are of particular concern to them. Current developments in their home countries as well as ongoing wars are a burden for many of them. Added to this is the deteriorating economic situation in Germany, including inflation and high energy prices. Many are also concerned about the issue of migration and asylum policy in Germany. Despite some concerns, respondents are generally satisfied with their life in Germany.
Top 5 biggest concerns
(Percentage of respondents who are very concerned about the topic)
- Current situation in home country (61%)
- Inflation in Germany (56%)
- Wars in Ukraine or Gaza (52%)
- Energy policy and energy prices in Germany (38%)
- Migration and asylum policy in Germany (37%)
Those who are employed, have a partner and have a good command of German are particularly satisfied – a sign of a successful integration in Germany. In our first survey, almost 90% stated that they wanted to stay in Germany forever. We will analyze whether this remains the case or will change in the future.
All thanks to your valuable contribution to the PARFORM study!
