Jordan: Jordan: UNHCR Operational Update, January 2020
UNHCR has concluded its one-off Multipurpose Cash Winterization assistance, which reached more than 90,000 refugee families (approximately 410,000 individuals) including over 70,000 refugee households in urban areas and over 20,000 households in the refugee camps of Zaatari and Azraq.
Out of the total 70,000 urban refugee households supported with Winterization assistance, approximately 15,000 were non-Syrians.
In December 32,215 vulnerable refugee families benefited from assistance in form of a social (cash) transfer to cover their essential needs.
176,920 work permits have been issued for Syrian refugees until the end of December 2019
PROTECTION
As part of community outreach, UNHCR runs 37 mobile helpdesks in eight different governorates across the country where refugees can approach UNHCR with any legal or protection issues they may have aside the registration centres in Amman, Irbid and Mafraq or those in Azraq and Zaatari.
During the reporting period, the Registration unit in Irbid registered 20 new cases (29 individuals), added 280 new individuals and renewed documents for 8,536 individuals. The Mafraq Registration unit renewed documents for 6,061 individuals, added 43 individuals, and 301 babies. The Amman Registration unit registered 67 new cases (128 individuals), added 86 individuals to existing cases and 497 babies. Additionally, 12,787 individuals underwent renewal.
In order to ensure access to registration and accompanying services, the registration units in all locations carry out home and hospital visits for persons of concern who are unable to reach UNHCR’s urban Registration Centres. The Amman Registration Unit supported 40 families with renewal at homes and hospitals, Irbid Registration Unit supported 24 cases and the Mafraq Registration Unit supported 51 cases. 104 cases were renewed in Nuzha Community Support Center (CSC) as part of Amman’s outreach activities.
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND SELF RELIANCE
The Council of Ministers approved an amended Labour Law, with changes designed to support Jordanian employment and increase the percentage of women working in the local market. At the same time, the amendments have broadened the protection sphere under the Labour law for both Jordanian and non-Jordanian migrant and refugee workers, by tackling informal employment activities which are often at the detriment of worker’s interest. The Grace Period for Syrian refugee Work Permits fees waiver has been extended for the ninth time, until end of 2020
In Azraq, as of 31st January, a total of 3,743 work permits are registered in the work permit refugee database out of which 2,473 are male and 1,270 are female. In addition, 96 work permits have been renewed during the reporting period.
Currently there are total of 1,173 refugees (52% male and 48 % female) engaged in Incentive Based Volunteering (IBV) scheme. A total of 401 IBV opportunities were provided to refugees during the reporting period including 226 males and 175 females.
As of 31st January 2020, the Zaatari Office of Employment had a record of 13,568 active work permits (78% male, 22% female). The number of Intensive Based Volunteering participants in December decreased sharply by %16 to 4,092.
