While Jordan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, a Memorandum of Understanding establishes the parameters for cooperation between UNHCR and the Government of Jordan (GoJ) on the issue of refugees and asylum-seekers. As the Syria crisis ends its sixth year, protection space for refugees in Jordan remains limited, and a managed border policy has restricted access to asylum.
Though Jordan received new arrivals from Syria in the first half of the year, a managed border policy meant that entries to the Kingdom were severely limited, leading to a build-up of asylum-seekers at the north-eastern border (or berm). In response to growing international pressure, in February the King made a commitment to allow 20,000 individuals to enter a secured area in Azraq camp. By the end of the year 11,801 individuals were still held in the secure area.
UNHCR carried out several registration exercises at the border. As of 7 June 2016, UNHCR registered some 38,000 individuals, though the estimated total population was over 70,000. A vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack on a Border Guard post on 21 June resulted in the area becoming a closed military zone, with very few refugees allowed entry after this date. Access to the population at the border to provide assistance was limited; a distribution exercise via crane was carried out in August, and again through contractors in November and December. On the day of the attack, refugees who had already been brought into the territory were in transit points; rather than being transferred to Azraq camp a group of 350 people have been kept at a transit site in Ruwayshed (east Jordan) since 21 June.
By the end of 2016, the total number of UNHCR-registered Syrians in Jordan was 655,344, equivalent to approximately 10 per cent of Jordan’s population prior to the conflict. The GoJ repeatedly highlighted the impact of hosting such a large number of refugees – the GoJ estimate is 1.4 million Syrians –on the infrastructure and economy of Jordan.
UNHCR continues its advocacy with the Government on the principle of non-refoulement. In the first half of 2016, a monthly average of close to 400 individuals were refouled from Jordan. An increase from July onwards, up to 1,053 in September, was noted, before decreasing again towards the end of the year. 2016 also saw ongoing spontaneous returns to Syria, with over 7,100 people departing over the course of the year.
Reports indicate high levels of economic vulnerability amongst the urban refugee population. The Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) found that over 85 per cent of Syrian refugee households live under the Jordanian poverty line of USD 96 per person/month.
In February 2016, livelihoods and education commitments were made by the GoJ at the London Conference. By the end of the year, 37,000 work permits had been issued free of charge to refugees. Initial school enrolment figures were promising. However, the retention rate is believed to be lower (official statistics were not available).
The conflict in Iraq resulted in 60,000 Iraqi refugees registered in Jordan by the end of the year, an increase of over 10,000 Iraqis from 2015. In 2016, there were also continuing arrivals from Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Towards the end of 2016, the GoJ was in the process of finalizing the 2017-2019 Jordan Response Plan (JRP), which focuses on resilience and refugee programming. UNHCR fully supports the plan and takes a leading role under the refugee pillar. The JRP is the Jordan Chapter of the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), together with an inter-agency appeal specifying how UN and NGOs will support the JRP. UNHCR is also committed to linking the Refugee Response to broader UN processes, and contributes to the UN Country Team and associated plans.