General Background
As the conflicts in the region remain unrelenting, Jordan continues to host over 750,000 refugees of nearly 60 different nationalities, the second highest in the world in comparison to its population. The refugees are predominantely from Syria, but also from countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia. The majority of refugees, over 83%, live in urban areas across the country, while 123,000 Syrian refugees live in the three refugee camps of Zaatari, Azraq and the Emirati Jordanian Camp.
While the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes the parameters for cooperation between UNHCR and the Government of Jordan on the issue of refugees and asylum-seekers.
UNHCR’s core mandate as an organization focuses on protection of refugees, both legal and physical. At UNHCR, we seek to uphold the basic human rights of uprooted people in their countries of asylum or habitual residence, ensuring that refugees will not be returned involuntarily to a country where they could face persecution.
Registration is one of the main protection activities undertaken by UNHCR in Jordan and worldwide, and is considered a necessity in order to ensure freedom of movement, and access assistance, forming a key component of UNHCR’s core mandate of protection. It also serves to help identify vulnerabilities and subsequently refer persons of concern to units within UNHCR or its partners for support.
Continuous registration has been implemented in Jordan for all nationalities. Regular verification and updates of data and processes enables UNHCR to keep information accurate and up-to-date.