PROSPECTS partners support Jordan’s hospitality

Co-signed by:  Abdullah Jefri– IFC country manager, Dominik Bartsch – UNHCR representative to Jordan, Frida Khan – ILO Jordan country coordinator, Holly Benner– WB resident representative for Jordan, Tanya Chapuisat – UNICEF Jordan representative, Harry Verweij – ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to Jordan

Jordan has offered a safe haven to people fleeing conflict in the region for decades. Its hospitality towards neighbouring countries is recognised globally. The international community is committed to supporting Jordan with the challenge of improving the living conditions and resilience of both Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities. On World Refugee Day, we honour the right of all people to seek safety, we honour the host communities that support refugees, and we honour the contributions of refugees to the communities that welcome them.

Jordan has not only allowed people to find safety, but has also provided opportunities for refugees to heal, rebuild their lives through economic participation and contribute to society. Jordan has implemented a progressive, development-oriented and inclusive approach to the refugee challenge, including promoting refugees’ access to health, education, social security and employment.  Over the years, the government has taken positive steps to support access to legal work for refugees by issuing fee-free work permits for certain sectors. 

The support Jordan has provided to refugees through national policies has been an example of efficiency, and it has enabled the international community to consistently support vulnerable Jordanians and refugees alike. One of the lessons from Jordan’s refugee response to date is that strengthening national systems to target vulnerable populations, including refugees, is an efficient way to advance reform for recovery and sustainable growth in Jordan. It also cements the partnership between the international community and Jordan. It is an approach to cherish and expand upon.

More than 10 years of crisis in Syria, the unprecedented global challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fall-out from the war in Ukraine are deeply felt in Jordan, as they are in other countries. Unemployment has increased, adding new pressures to the country’s 23 per cent unemployment rate and the cost of living is rising. This underlines the continued importance of our support to Jordan. 

The PROSPECTS partnership of the government of The Netherlands with IFC, ILO, UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Bank is a mechanism designed to support Jordan in this cause. This unique collaboration of agencies creates strong linkages between humanitarian and development actors, leveraging their comparative advantages to boost coordination and overall impact.  The partnership builds on national policies, such as the National Social Security Law; invests in building the resilience and self-reliance of vulnerable people; invests in education and employment; and protects the most vulnerable

The Netherlands, IFC, ILO, UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Bank believe that, given the right opportunities and skills, refugees can contribute economically to the communities that host and welcome them in many ways: as workers, taxpayers, entrepreneurs, consumers and innovators. They can help generate economic growth and public finances, just as Jordanians do.  

Economic inclusion and access to social protection mechanisms empower refugees to be self-reliant. A shining example is Ghada from Syria, who fled to Jordan in 2012 and now runs her own home-based catering business in Amman; or Dr Waleed from Iraq, who is working in a public hospital in Irbid to support the COVID-19 response. These people successfully support their families and pay their taxes. They contribute to Jordan’s economy.

To empower refugees to do this, PROSPECTS offers a strong protection and registration framework.To have an identity is an essential starting point for building back lives and accessing economic opportunities. PROSPECTS helps Jordan in addressing child labour and offers access to education instead, equipping children for a better future. 

PROSPECTS taps into the private sector to help vulnerable Jordanians and refugees, including women and youth, find long-term jobs that enable them to support themselves and their families – and even start businesses of their own. The partnership also aims to help the government of Jordan enhance business regulations to make it easier for such inclusive businesses to flourish. Investing in the private sector is one of the most promising ways to boost job creation. 

Jordan’s introduction of the Agricultural Workers Regulation No. 19 of 2019 provides an important example of how governments can provide the basis for boosting job opportunities with improved working conditions. Agricultural workers can now ensure their coverage under the Social Security Law and establish labour committees on farms. PROSPECTS has supported such committees, with representation from male and female agricultural workers, who have successfully negotiated better wages and working conditions. In addition, with PROSPECTS support agriculture cooperatives are providing job guidance, job matching services, and issuing work permits to farmers while strengthening the labour market in the sector. 

PROSPECTS also promotes skills development and employment of young men and women by partnering with the Ministry of Youth to establish several job-search clubs across the country. Both Jordanian and refugee youth are now able to access information on jobs and training on employability skills to help their transition to the labour market. PROSPECTS also supports thousands of young Jordanians and refugees with the basic and advanced digital skills needed to keep them up to date with today’s emerging technologies and enhance their employability. 

Given the chance, refugees can create added value for Jordan, whether as agricultural workers working side by side with Jordanian farmers, as entrepreneurs or as ICT specialists. On World Refugee Day, we celebrate the unwavering hospitality of Jordanians and the contribution of refugees to society.