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Article
The Care of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Islam: Exploring Kafala with Muslim Social Work Practice with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in the United States
Journal of Human Rights and Social Work (2017)
  • Karen Smith Rotabi, United Arab Emirates University
  • Nicole F. Bromfield, University of Houston
  • Justin Lee, Idaho State University
  • Taghreed Abu Sarhan, United Arab Emirates University
Abstract
With the unprecedented rise of unaccompanied refugee minors departing Middle Eastern and African countries, and especially Syria, for settlement in the USA and elsewhere in the Western world, authors consider the Islamic requirement of kafala or guardianship of unparented children, a topic little known or discussed in the social work literature. The concept of kafala is explored with a discussion of the literature and limited empirical evidence of how the care arrangement for children is actually enacted practically. Child rights frame the discussion. Then, implications for social workers, as well as carers, especially those working in the USA, are discussed with recommendations for social work service provision emphasizing practices that are culturally sensitive in an environment of multiculturalization.
Keywords
  • Child sponsorship,
  • Islam,
  • Refugee minors
Publication Date
June, 2017
DOI
10.1007/s41134-017-0027-2
Citation Information
Karen Smith Rotabi, Nicole F. Bromfield, Justin Lee and Taghreed Abu Sarhan. "The Care of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Islam: Exploring Kafala with Muslim Social Work Practice with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in the United States" Journal of Human Rights and Social Work Vol. 2 Iss. 1-2 (2017) p. 16 - 24
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/karen-rotabi/2/