Case study

Syrian refugees in Jordan

How UK aid is helping those who have fled the violence in Syria

Child refugees in Jordan. Picture: UNICEF

Safe from harm: Syrian refugees in a "child friendly space" at Za'atari Camp in Jordan. Picture: UNICEF

Since the violence in Syria began, hundreds of thousands of people have left their homes in Syria and fled to Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq.

Over 516,000 refugees are now registered or awaiting registration, and over a hundred thousand more believed to be living unregistered in Jordan alone.

Safe from harm: Syrian refugees in a 바카라 사이트child friendly space바카라 사이트 at Za바카라 사이트atari Camp in Jordan. Picture: UNICEF

A critical humanitarian situation

Jordan is now hosting almost 150,000 refugees, some living in camps along the border, and the majority living in rented accommodation in host communities. As we witness the beginnings of a protracted crisis in Syria, the needs of those affected are growing ever more critical. As Liz Hughes, DFID바카라 사이트s humanitarian advisor for Jordan and Iraq, mentions in her podcast, people are arriving in an increasingly poor state, and those who have been situated in Jordan for an extended period of time are running out of the savings they came with:

바카라 사이트In urban areas it바카라 사이트s difficult [to ensure refugees are prepared for winter] because people are living in rented accommodation. A recent survey by one NGO indicated the 80% of the people they surveyed did not have the means of heating in their houses바카라 사이트

Preparing for winter

The UK바카라 사이트s first priority for Syrian refugees is to meet critical needs, and we are providing life-saving food, water and medical supplies to tens of thousands of refugees in Jordan. At the moment, the urgent need is to ensure that people are prepared for the freezing winter months ahead. Refugees are living in tents, and in rented accommodation which they cannot afford to heat or weatherproof. We are providing blankets, warm clothing and fuel to help people cope with the coming winter.

Child friendly spaces

Children, women and men arrive in Jordan having witnessed, and sometimes been subjected to, terrible violence. One of the agencies DFID is funding is UNICEF, which is helping refugees, especially children, to cope with trauma and stress through counselling and support techniques such as the 바카라 사이트Child Friendly Spaces바카라 사이트 바카라 사이트 safe spaces where children can play, learn and receive counselling among other things.

Hakim is a worker in 1 of Za바카라 사이트atari camp바카라 사이트s Child Friendly Spaces. One of the techniques he learned with UNICEF바카라 사이트s training is the 바카라 사이트heart contract바카라 사이트. A group of children choose their own rules or priorities together. Hakim says the children he works with have made such rules as 바카라 사이트Love our families바카라 사이트, 바카라 사이트Don바카라 사이트t fight바카라 사이트 and 바카라 사이트Respect our teachers.바카라 사이트

바카라 사이트Now, when a child fights, I can show them the contract and remind them,바카라 사이트 he says. 바카라 사이트It바카라 사이트s made a big difference [in the children바카라 사이트s behaviour].바카라 사이트

Scaling up

Much more needs to be done, however, if the critical needs of Syrian refugees are to be met. The UN바카라 사이트s appeal for Syrian refugees in the region, the Refugee Response Plan, is currently just 40% funded. Our humanitarian partners need further funding in order to scale up and meet the rising needs of Syrians crossing the border to safety.

Updates to this page

Published 22 March 2013