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Urban Areas

Urban Areas

Over 80 percent of refugees in Jordan live in normal towns and cities. Amman, the capital, hosts the largest number of refugees from a variety of nationalities, followed by Irbid and then Mafraq. In order to cater to the specific needs of this population, UNHCR has offices in all three locations and also works closely with national NGO partners to reach refugees living across the country.

Nagham, 9, walks with UNHCR Jordan staff member, Lilly Carlisle, in the streets outside her house in East Amman. © UNHCR/Mohammad Hawari

Across Jordan, UNHCR works to support community empowerment and enhance cooperation between refugee and Jordanian communities. This is facilitated by a network of 22 Community Support Committees (CSCs), jointly run by Jordanian and refugee representatives of different nationalities.

CSCs in Jordan provide a community-led approach to respond to the needs of urban refugees, bridging gaps between refugees and Jordanians, and helping UNHCR to give the right assistance to those who need it most.

This approach has strengthened relationships between refugee and host communities, with over 90 percent of the Jordanians viewing refugees in a positive manner.

Through mobile help desks, counseling activities and focus group discussions, UNHCR also seeks to ensure the protection needs of refugees living in urban areas are catered for. Specific interventions are tailored to women, children, people with disabilities, older persons and the youth.

Cash assistance is also a key tool to support refugees living in urban areas. Every month 33,000 of the most vulnerable refugee families receive financial support from UNHCR.

As refugee situations have become more protracted, UNHCR works closely with the Jordanian Government to advocate for the greater inclusion of refugees within Jordanian national systems.

Refugees in Jordan can send their children to public schools for free and access the national health system (paying the cost of the non-insured Jordanian rate for treatment).

In addition, Syrian refugees are able to get work permits to gain employment in the open sectors.

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