Publication Type: Reports

Towards a Community Facilitator Model in Jordan

This report is a mixed methods study, having adopted a data collection approach that gathered both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data was collected from a desk review that covered CF models and legal empowerment in Jordan and outside of Jordan, in particular in relation to minority and vulnerable groups, comprised of primary and grey literature. Qualitative data was gathered from the OSF pilot phase of the Syrian Refugee Empowerment Project (SREP), initiated by the Open Society Foundations in Jordan, through focus group discussions with ARDD CFs trained for the pilot, minutes of meetings between ARDD CFs and ARDD employees responsible for the pilot, progress reports produced by ARDD and Tamkeen, 65 session reports produced by ARDD CFs, and 8 observations of community facilitation sessions by ARDD, in both Zarqa and Amman.

Basic education and parents’ relations with school: Findings from a mini-survey of Jordanian and Syrian refugee households in Mafraq city

This paper presents descriptive statistics from a limited sample survey of Jordanian and Syrian refugee households in the city of Mafraq in northern Jordan. The main objective is to enhance our understanding of the communication between public schools and the households of their students through information from and the perceptions of parents. The paper answers such questions as: To what extent is there contact between the schools and the parents; how do they communicate; and who initiates the communication? Are the parents satisfied with the information? And, what kind of improvements of   relevance to their children’s education would they like to see? The survey was carried out within a wider project seeking to find ways to improve the learning environment of Jordanian and Syrian refugee children in Jordan through operational interventions and legal reform. Additional research components of the project have included school visits, focus group interviews with teachers and parents in the governorate of Mafraq, and research into the legal aspects of basic education in Jordan.

Effective Parenting for Elementary School aged Children

Violence against children has long been advocated against because of the profound implications it can have on children. According to a study conducted by UNICEF in 2007, Jordanian parents have shortcomings in their parenting styles. Parents in Jordan frequently use violence – both verbal and physical, as methods of disciplining their children. This includes methods which can sometimes be quite severe, such as beating using belts, shoes or other objects, as well as insults, shouting, and name-calling. This often happens because these are the only disciplinary methods parents know. Such disciplinary measures and lack of knowledge of alternative methods, has also been expressed in the Syrian refugee community in Jordan. An ARDD-Legal Aid report from February 2015, highlighted some of the challenges facing Syrian refugee women and Female Heads of Households (FFHs). One of the main findings was in regards to psychosocial implications, namely, unsettled self-perceptions regarding their role as “mothers.” In particular, the report describes that many of the women who participated in ARDD-Legal Aid’s psychosocial support sessions showed signs of deep stress regarding their sense of “failure” as care givers and mothers, as they lack the parenting skills and resources to communicate effectively with their children and help them navigate in these difficult circumstances.

Improving learning environments in Jordanian public schools

This report from the project “Education for the Future” provides an overview of challenges and prospects of improving learning environments in Jordanian public schools in general. Available literature and public narratives on education in Jordan since 2011 highlight the many challenges to the creation of a positive learning environment posed by the increased number of children attending Jordanian public schools, and Syrian children in particular. The report observes how such challenges have affected the learning environment of Jordanian and Syrian children in the governorate of Mafraq (northern Jordan), where the number of Syrians refugees in the main town exceeds that of the indigenous population (about 100,000 versus 80,000) (Al-Ghad, 2015). It also focuses on an often neglected dimension of the learning environment, namely parental involvement and the role of parent-school relations.

Civic Engagement: The Key for Women’s Political Participation in Karak

This report provides an evidence-based assessment intervention enhancing women’s leadership and civic engagement in the governorate of Karak that can contribute to enhance women’s meaningful political participation at the governorate and municipality level. The research sheds light into the contours of women’s political participation in Karak that goes beyond formal politics. Our work shows that there is a solid base of active and engaged women in community-based organizations (CBOs) who are deeply engaged in everyday politics, working to make a difference within their communities. In many cases they are starting on where formal politics stops on simply cannot address precisely because they are community based. The sort of activities that these women are participating in encourages the idea that what they are doing is not just charitable work but a demonstration of their political participation. Our findings support theoretical notions that consider civic engagement as a form of political participation, where the formal space of politics is compromised by structural deficiencies.

Fostering a Culture of Responsibility and Accountability Improving the Learning Environment in Jordan

At the start of the 1990s, education reform was prioritised by the Jordanian government which led to substantial investments in the development of human resources over the past three decades; ultimately resulting in a concreteoverall improvement in performance on the Human Development Index. Jordan continues to build on these achievements, which is demonstrated by its recent commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Despite Jordan’s remarkable achievements and numerous initiatives pursued by the government and different stakeholders, to reform the education sector, several challenges still persist. One major challenge is accountability within the education system. This paper seeks to provide insights into the challenges and gaps in accountability, as well as explore inter-linkages with the legal framework, and the challenges of decentralisation and governance. To this end, a review of the relevant literature, and fieldwork research were conducted to identify obstacles related to access to education and the provision of quality education and a supportive learning environment in Jordan. In addition to a learning event was held entitled “Fostering a Culture of Accountability for improving the Learning Environment for Children in Jordan” in order to discuss the findings of the project “Education for the Future:Communities of Learning among Syrians and Jordanians in Host Communities” with a wider stakeholder community. The areas highlighted are the following: The Legal framework: issues of access, quality, and equity. Communication and Accountability: communication between schools and parents,the Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders (civil society/community involvement). Decentralisation and Governance: autonomy of schools, national decentralisation, the role of the local community.

Access to Higher Education for Refugees in Jordan

Throughout the five-year Syrian refugee crisis, education for refugee children has been prioritized in development, humanitarian aid, media coverage, discussion, and research. Extensive efforts have been made to increase children’s access to education to ensure their continued healthy development and provide security and stability during the refugee experience. As the majority of Syrian refugees in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan are under the age of 17, this attention is not unfounded. However, refugees’ access to higher education in Jordan has lacked the necessary attention. The initial response to higher education was isolated and sporadic, only recently becoming coordinated as the crisis and consequent displacement became protracted. While movement did not begin until 2015, conversation and advocacy on the issue had started long before. There was no shortage of support for higher education amongst the stakeholders interviewed. This paper maps the prior and current initiatives undertaken and the ongoing challenges present for refugees and other stakeholders. This is done with a clear ambition to contribute to the ongoing development of such programs as well as allow for reflection on how such programs could be better implemented in responses to mass displacement.

Legal Aid’s Four Pillars for Engaging Men and Boys in SGBV Prevention in Zaatari Refugee Camp

This report, based on ARDD-Legal Aid’s experiences of working with men and boys on SGBV prevention in Zaatari refugee camp, lays out four pillars of how SGBV prevention programs can be adapted to work effectively in the context.  It first outlines the suitability of a psychosocial approach for SGBV prevention work in Zaatari, explaining how this can be used to build trust among participants, provide a useful service for male refugees, and create an environment in which progress can be made on sensitive gender questions.  The report then focuses on, in turn, how to manage the stress and anger of refugees in Zaatari, how to understand prevailing conceptions of masculinities and gender relations, and how to ensure that the do no harm principle is adhered to in work in Zaatari.