Since the beginning of the crisis, shelter and housing, security, and basic needs and services have surfaced as prominent issues of concern to all stakeholders, including the government and aid agencies. Accordingly, actions and measures have been taken by the government and civil society to integrate refugees into the educational and health systems and offer them needed services and protection. However, as the refugees’ stay in Jordan extends beyond initial expectations, while some needs, demands, and priorities remain pressing, some change and re-shift as numbers increase. ARDD-LA is helping in taking corrective measures in their regard, through providing refugees with the necessary legal services, it is crucial to realize the need to respond to the root causes addressed above and the dangers the persistence of such problems pose to the safety and protection of refugees and Jordanians alike.
December 2012
Livelihoods
Refugees identify the lack of reliable and dependable (sustainable) means of subsistence and support as their main and uppermost concern. They realize that aid agencies are not providing for all of their needs, nor can they, and funds are so unreliable a source. Refugees have already sold and exchanged what little valuable possessions they had brought with them from Syria, such as women’s jewellery, exchanged relief items with shopkeepers for cash, and — as aid agencies continue to offer very limited resources — have resorted to irregular work to earn livelihood to be able to pay their rents and meet their and their families’ needs.
يحدد اللاجئون انعدام وجود وسائل المعيشة الموثوقة والتي يمكن الاعتماد عليها (المستدامة) والدعم باعتبارهما مصدر قلقهم الرئيسي والأول. فهم يدركون أن وكالات المعونة لا توفر كافة احتياجاتهم، وذلك حتى ليس بمقدورها، كما أن الأموال ليست مصدراً جديراً بالثقة. لقد سبق للاجئين وأن قاموا ببيع ومقايضة النزر القليل من ممتلكاتهم القيمة التي جلبوها معهم من سوريا، مثل مجوهرات النساء، وتبادلوا مواد الإغاثة مع أصحاب المتاجر مقابل النقود، ولجئوا، مع استمرار وكالات المعونة بتقديم موارد محدودة جداً، إلى العمل بصورة غير شرعية كي يتمكنوا من دفع إيجاراتهم وتلبية احتياجاتهم واحتياجات عائلاتهم
Dealing with Expenses
As Syrian families are faced with a huge gap between their necessary expenses and the insufficient and sporadic income they receive from aid agencies, they have resorted to irregular and unsanctioned work. Many women have resorted to working from home on sewing and cooking for neighbours and other families for payment, while men, young and old, took on work outside the house.
As most women’s work is conducted in the domestic sphere, women who venture out of it are faced with many obstacles as well. In a limited number of extreme cases, women who decide to look for work in the job market outside the house, like as hair-dressers, maids, and cleaning help, are exploited and discriminated against in wages and treatment by employers, in addition to the stigma that they suffer from in the Syrian community. Women have expressed their desire to learn income generating skills in order to be able to compete in the job market and maintain their dignity and independence from aid agencies.
ومع مواجهة العائلات السورية لفجوة هائلة بين مصاريفها الضرورية والدخل غير الكاف والمتقطع الذي يحصلون عليه من وكالات المعونة، فقد لجئت إلى العمل غير المنظم وغير المجاز. فقد لجأت الكثير من النساء إلى العمل من المنزل في أعمال الخياطة والطبخ للجيران وعائلات أخرى مقابل دفعات، في حين لجأ الرجال، من الشباب وكبار السن، إلى العمل خارج المنزل.
وفي حين يتم معظم عمل النساء في بيئة منزلية، فإن النساء اللواتي يغامرن بالعمل في خارج البيت يواجهن الكثير من العوائق أيضاً. وفي عدد محدود من الحالات القصوى، فإن النساء اللواتي يقررن البحث عن عمل في سوق العمل خارج المنزل، مثل مصففات الشعر والخادمات، يتعرضن للاستغلال والتمييز من حيث الأجور والمعاملة من قبل أصحاب العمل، بالإضافة إلى الشعور بالخزي الذي يعانين منه في مجتمع الجالية السورية. وقد عبرت النساء عن رغبتهن في تعلم مهارات جني الدخل كي يصبحن قادرات على الاندماج في سوق العمل والاحتفاظ بكرامتهن واستقلالهن عن وكالات المعونة
Paying Rent
Limited means of incomes have hindered the ability of refugees to pay their rent. Many are afraid of the threat of eviction when they are late in securing the rent. The influx of refugees has affected the rent market and increased rents considerably, putting additional burden on both refugees and the host communities. This has compelled many families to stay together in the same house, not allowing for privacy. It is also noted that in areas of refugee concentration and where access to services, like water and health and transportation is available, rents are higher than in other areas.
While aid agencies have covered basic needs and services — like rent and extensive health services for instance in addition to providing cash assistance — in the beginning, most long stayers are not eligible anymore to such assistance.
أدت مصادر الدخل المحدودة إلى إعاقة قدرة اللاجئين على دفع بدلات الإيجار. يخشى الكثيرون من التهديد بالإخلاء عند تأخرهم في تأمين بدل الإيجار. لقد أثر تدفق اللاجئين في سوق الإيجار وازدادت بدلات الإيجار بصورة ملحوظة، الأمر الذي أدى إلى إلقاء عبء إضافي على كل من اللاجئين والمجتمعات المضيفة. وقد أجبر ذلك العديد من العائلات على الإقامة مع بعضها البعض في نفس المنزل، الأمر الذي لا يتيح لها الخصوصية. كما لوحظ أنه في مناطق تركز اللاجئين وحيث يكون الوصول إلى الخدمات، مثل الماء والصحة والمواصلات متوفراً، تكون بدلات الإيجار أعلى مما هي عليه في المناطق الأخرى.
ففي حين قامت وكالات المعونة بتغطية الاحتياجات والخدمات الأساسية – مثل بدل الإيجار والخدمات الصحية المكثفة بالإضافة إلى تقديم المساعدة النقدية- في البداية، فإن أولئك ممن أقاموا لفترات طويلة لم يعودوا مؤهلين للحصول على تلك المساعدة
Education
Daily needs that the refugees are faced with include clothing, school costumes, transportation fees and supplies and stationary for school-going youth and children. Not being able to provide their children with such needs has created feelings of alienation and a divide between Jordanian children and Syrian children. Educational services are also a problem; many schools are similarly unable to receive Syrian children because of lack of available seats. Additionally, parents expressed the need for children under the age of 6 to be included in the educational services and be received by kindergartens so as to be prepared for the coming grades in the Jordanian educational system.
شملت الاحتياجات اليومية الملابس وزي المدرسة وأجور المواصلات واللوازم والقرطاسية لليافعين والأطفال في سن الدراسة. ولدت عدم القدرة على توفير هذه الاحتياجات إلى أطفالهم مشاعر العزلة والتفريق بين الأطفال الأردنيين والأطفال السوريين. بالنسبة للخدمات التعليمية؛ فالكثير من المدارس غير قادرة على استقبال الأطفال السوريين لعدم توفر المقاعد. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، عبر الآباء عن حاجة أطفالهم دون سن السادسة إلى شملهم بالخدمات التعليمية واستقبالهم من قبل رياض الأطفال بحيث يكونوا مستعدين للصفوف اللاحقة في المنظومة التعليمية الأردنية
Aid Distribution
Aid distribution mechanisms are not clear to refugees especially with regards to communicating selection and eligibility criteria for such assistance. Refugees are hesitant to voice their concerns and complaints in fear of aid cuts and retribution. Many do not know the proper procedure of accessing certain services but also of complaining or voicing feedback to organizations, which makes their feedback ineffective. This perception by refugees of the lack of information and involvement leads to misdistribution of resources and therefore making livelihood and work a main concern.
آليات توزيع المعونات غير واضحة بالنسبة للاجئين، تحديداً فيما يتعلق بمعايير الاختيار والأهلية للحصول على تلك المساعدة
يتردد اللاجئون في التعبير عن مخاوفهم وشكاويهم خوفاً من قطع المعونة والعقاب. لا يعرف الكثيرون الإجراء السليم للوصول إلى خدمات معينة أو آليات الشكاوي، الأمر الذي يؤدي إلى جعل التغذية الراجعة منهم غير مجدية. يعني هذا أن الافتقار الملحوظ إلى مشاركة اللاجئين في إدارة المعونة يتسبب بسوء توزيع للموارد وبالتالي يجعل المعيشة والعمل هماً رئيسياً لدى اللاجئين.
Health Services
Refugees in Jordan have complained from limited and irregular access to health services. They are covered by a few hospitals that do not have the capacity to treat them. Many participants relate stories when they have gone to hospitals for treatment and have been denied admission because of the unavailability of vacant beds. Many have agreed also that not all conditions are covered by free health services, especially chronicle diseases that require extensive and expensive treatment. In addition to this, in case of emergency, they are required to pay for the treatment and are later reimbursed by UNHCR, which they cannot afford. This hinders their utilization of much-needed health services.
لقد اشتكى اللاجئون في الأردن من الوصول المحدود وغير المنتظم إلى الخدمات الصحية. فهم مشمولون من قبل القليل من المستشفيات التي لا تتوفر لديها القدرة على علاجهم. وقد أورد الكثير من المشاركين قصصاً عن ذهابهم إلى المستشفيات للعلاج ورفضه إدخالهم بسبب عدم توفر أسرة شاغرة. كما اتفق الكثيرون على أن تغطية الخدمات الصحية المجانية لا تشمل كافة الحالات، خصوصاً الأمراض المزمنة التي تتطلب علاجاً مكثفاً وباهظ الثمن. بالإضافة إلى هذا، في حالة الطوارئ، فإنه يطلب منهم الدفع مقابل العلاج ويتم تعويضهم لاحقاً من قبل المفوضية، الأمر الذي لا يقدرون على تحمل تكلفته. يعيق هذا من انتفاعهم بالخدمات الصحية الأكثر حاجة إليها
January 2013
Operations in Za’atri Camp
Despite the intense concentration of aid agencies and service provision in Al Za’atri, gaps still exist indicating mismanagement of aid more than shortage. According to UNHCR’s stakeholders list “Who Does What Where” in Za’atri, there are at least 27 international and national organizations involved in the camp providing a broad array of services and basic needs, under the supervision and monitoring of UNHCR, which is also in charge of the management of the camp and of coordination operations along with the Jordanian government. This includes coordination between and among aid agencies and stakeholders and between refugees and aid agencies. UNHCR has already established a system that would allow refugees in each section of the camp to elect a representative who would attend coordination meetings with aid agencies and stakeholders in the camp. The refugees’ representatives would function as go-between; they are charged with conveying the refugees grievances and concerns to aid agencies in the camp and disseminating information about services and information from aid agencies to refugees. However, refugees have expressed dissatisfaction with this system as they have noted that the outcomes are insignificant and aid agencies have failed to respond adequately to their grievances as supposedly conveyed by the delegates.
Food Security
Food security is largely handled by WFP (World Food Program) and Save the Children. It routinely constitutes of bread distribution, dry food ration distribution, and supplementary rations. After months of complaints from refugees about the quality of cooked food they received, kitchens were built to allow refugees to cook their own meals. Although this has solved one problem, it has created others. Refugees still express dissatisfaction with the quantity and quality of bread and other dry foods. More importantly, access to kitchens and thus utilization of dry food items remain limited to many. Refugees’ mobility has suffered increasingly in winter, especially women’s. This, coupled with the long time many have to wait for their turn to use the stoves in light of the increasing number of families that have to make use of each kitchen, has made it harder for some to utilize kitchens and thus affected the quality of their nutrition and food.
Voice 