As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen access to justice and promote legal and community-based prevention, the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) participated in five awareness-raising sessions held between July and September 2026 across Zaatari and Azraq refugee camps, Mafraq, Irbid, and Amman. Reaching more than 125 refugees and Jordanians, the sessions focused on raising awareness of the risks associated with drugs and cybercrime and providing practical guidance on prevention, protection, and response.
Organized in coordination with UNHCR, the sessions brought together specialists from the Anti-Narcotics Department and the Cybercrime Unit of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate, alongside ARDD lawyers. This combination of specialized expertise, legal guidance, and direct community engagement enabled participants to better understand both the risks they may face and the resources available to address them.
Through awareness presentations and open discussions, participants explored the legal and social risks associated with drugs and cybercrime, as well as ways to prevent incidents, report them, and reach the appropriate authorities. ARDD lawyers also provided guidance on relevant rights and legal procedures, responded to participants’ questions, and introduced ARDD’s free legal assistance and protection services, ensuring that those in need can continue to access legal advice and follow-up support.
In this way, the sessions went beyond one-time awareness raising by connecting knowledge with practical pathways to protection and services. They strengthened the ability of individuals and families to identify and respond to risks while helping to establish prevention as an integral part of sustainable community protection.
These efforts build on the longstanding partnership between ARDD and UNHCR , which dates back to 2010. Through this partnership, ARDD works to strengthen legal protection and access to justice for refugees and host communities, both inside and outside refugee camps, while connecting awareness activities with accessible legal services across Jordan.
In the area of drug prevention, these efforts also complement ARDD’s role in the National Alliance for Combating Narcotics in Jordan, established in 2021 within the framework of the National Networks Forum for Supporting the Justice Sector. The Alliance brings together civil society organizations, government institutions, experts, and specialists to strengthen cooperation and support prevention, awareness, and community-based responses to drug-related challenges.
Together, these efforts demonstrate the value of sustained cooperation among government institutions, international organizations, civil society, and local communities. By linking awareness with rights, early prevention, legal protection, and access to justice, such partnerships can help communities move beyond responding to risks toward becoming better equipped to prevent and address them.
