Makani Approach in Jordan

In 2018, the effects of the conflict in Syria continue to reverberate in Jordan. Jordan now hosts approximately 671,919 registered Syrian refugees (50.7 per cent children). Jordan has a very young population, with nearly 2.5 million school-aged children, and has struggled to maintain children’s access to quality educational services in the context of economic downturn and the refugee inflows in recent years. Of the 671,919 registered Syrian refugees in Jordan, an estimated 234,000 are school-aged children, which has stretched the capacity of national institutions to deliver social services such as education and child protection. Overcrowded classrooms and limited livelihoods opportunities in affected communities compound to increase social tensions and reduce the quality of services provided. The Government of Jordan has taken strides to address the needs of vulnerable children, opening its schools to refugee children and advocating for the support of the international community to address gaps. However, children continue to encounter difficulties accessing education. Factors contributing to out-of-school rates in the Kingdom include families not being able to afford education-related costs (transportation, school supplies, clothing), limited space available in schools, child labour, and fear (amongst children of migrant workers with undocumented status). Barriers to education include distance to school, poverty, violence in schools and on the way to school, poor quality of education, and lack of employment prospects following graduation. Being out-of-school limits future employment opportunities, as most professions require a basic education certificate. Without an educational environment that provides opportunities for all children, the future livelihoods of youth are at risk, with potential for negative consequences to impact the rest of their lives. Violence, destruction, displacement and poverty have taken a heavy psychological toll on refugee children. Many Syrian children know nothing but war, while others have fled their homes and have struggled to adapt to life in a new country. If children have access to supportive services, the damaging and potentially deadly effects of toxic stress can be reversed. Syrian refugee children and adolescents, as well as vulnerable Jordanians, require access to safe spaces that offer comprehensive and holistic services, which can address their physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs. The protective environment for children in Jordan Jordanians, require access to safe spaces that offer comprehensive and holistic services, which can address their physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs. The protective environment for children in Jordan continues to improve, both in terms of the social norms that underpin violations of children’s rights as well as in the capacity of institutions to respond to children who survive these violations. However, overall child protection systems and enabling environment for the protection of children and women continues to be weak. Violence against children in all settings in Jordan is one of the most common violations which is culturally and socially condoned and accepted. Close to 90 percent of girls and boys experience some form of violent discipline (psychological and/or physical) at home. Children with disabilities, unaccompanied and separated children, children without parental care, children from marginalized communities and children living and/or working on the streets face inequities, along with children from the poorest quintile. Programming around changing social norms such as child marriage, violence against children and child labour require focused interventions. ./.. Invest in the future of a generation of children and young people affected by the Syria conflict, providing Syrian refugee and host community children and young people with access to quality learning, protective services, and opportunities for civic engagement.

R1 : Number of vulnerable children provided with learning support : Overall Target: 80,500 girls and boys (2016-2017) Attribution Target supported by Belgium: 5,500 Proportion of learning facilitators having received adequate training Target: 90% (2016) R2 : Number of adolescents and youth (women and men) provided with lifeskills training : Baseline: 47,977 (2015) Overall target (2016-2017): 80,000 Target supported by Belgium: 5,500 Number of adolescents and youth (women and men) engaged at social innovation labs Baseline: 0 (2015) Overall target (2016-2017): 10,000 Target supported by Belgium: 1,000 Proportion of facilitators trained on life skills methodology and manual Baseline: 70% (2015) Target: 90% (2016) R3 : Number of vulnerable children provided with psychosocial support : Baseline: 168,386 (80,627 boys & 87,759 girls; 2015) Overall Target: 218,284 girls and boys with psychosocial support Target supported by Belgium: 5,500 Number of refugee and host community girls, women, boys and men reached through information campaigns around child rights, violence against children, GBV and information around services available Baseline: 96,379 (42,407 boys & 53,972 girls; 2015) Overall Target: 100,000 (2016-2017) Direct attribution of results : Funding from Belgium has specifically reached 1,144 children and youth in 2016-2017 and 4,414 children and youth in 2018 (or 5,558 children and youth overall) with the integrated package of Makani services, including learning support services, community based child protection, and life skills training/social innovation. In addition, Belgium’s support ensured that especially vulnerable children living in host communities benefitted from “Makani Plusle children living in host communities benefitted from “Makani Plus” complementary services in health (e.g. immunization) and WASH (e.g., safe access to water) which greatly contributed to their wellbeing and educational achievement.