Experts analyze the causes of elderly women begging and government efforts to combat it

Experts and researchers in education and family affairs have revealed the root causes of the phenomenon of elderly women begging in Syria, pointing to the deterioration of living conditions as a primary factor. Meanwhile, official authorities have indicated the apprehension of hundreds of cases and the implementation of field campaigns to combat it and rehabilitate some beggars.

In the same context, Khawzam al-Najjad, head of the Damascus office for combating begging and homelessness, stated that 550 begging cases were apprehended in Damascus, including 488 children and 62 women. She clarified that the process is carried out in cooperation with police departments, civil defense, and health sector teams, to present the cases to the judiciary and deposit them in updated care centers.

For his part, educational expert Tawfiq Hassan explained that the causes are due to exorbitant prices, loss of breadwinners, rising housing rents, and medical costs. He noted that the decline in job opportunities and the decrease in pension values push the elderly to beg, adding that society's sympathy for elderly women makes them targets for organized exploitation networks.

Researcher Nora Nahhas added that the phenomenon affects societal values, attributing its spread to the war, migration, sharp inflation, and the collapse of family solidarity. She emphasized the necessity of establishing a legally protected plan to address the phenomenon, warning that ignoring it foreshadows the complete collapse of the family system.

Al-Najjad pointed out the achievements of the comprehensive national campaign launched on November 30, 2025, under the chairmanship of Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Qabawat. The campaign resulted in reuniting girls with their families and employing a homeless woman who was begging with her three children to work in a center combating begging, while providing housing for them.

Hassan explained that addressing the phenomenon relies on two paths: social protection, which includes reconsidering pensions and free healthcare, and an organizational path to distinguish between genuine needy individuals and exploiting gangs, while activating the role of civil society associations in rehabilitating women and providing job opportunities.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)