Context

Jordan is a low-middle-income, resource-poor, food-deficit country that hosts the second-highest number of refugees per capita in the world. In 2024, this nation of 11 million people accommodated over 1.3 million refugees, mostly from Syria. More than 81% of Syrian refugees live in the governorates of Amman, Irbid, Mafraq and Zarqa. About 18% lives in Za’atari and Azraq camps, which host about 80,000 and 40,000 Syrian refugees respectively, while approximately 7,500 Syrian refugees, mostly women and children, are stuck in Al Rukban camp located in a military zone on Jordan’s North-Eastern border, with limited access to essential health and nutrition services. 

In 2023, approximately 66% of Syrian refugees in Jordan were living below the international absolute poverty line for lower-middle income countries, facing barriers to health care, adequate shelter and  livelihoods, and thus heavily relying on humanitarian assistance.

INTERSOS’ intervention

INTERSOS supports both Refugees and the Jordanian population, thus promoting social cohesion, in Amman, Irbid, Madaba, Karak, Tafileh, Ma’an. We intervene in urban, peri-urban and rural areas with projects aimed at providing protection assistance especially to the most vulnerable individuals or groups at risk of marginalisation. Interventions were aimed at preventing and responding to Gender-Based Violence, through a Community-Based Approach.  

In 2023, INTERSOS carried out community engagement activities, in the form of awareness-raising sessions and campaigns aimed at preventing gender-based violence. In fact, our staff organised discussion groups on topics related to gender-based violence in order to raise awareness on this issue and to promote discussions with communities. With the aim of responding more effectively to gender-based violence and of strengthening the community ownership of interventions, INTERSOS has implemented capacity-building programmes for community groups and community-based organisations. 

Prevention activities were complemented by direct response services, including counselling and legal assistance, aimed at both guaranteeing rights and obtaining the civil documentation necessary to access basic services. Individual and group psychosocial support and financial assistance were also provided to address specific vulnerabilities or incidents.