UN and other partners in Jordan
The Jordan Health Fund for Refugees
The Jordan Health Fund for Refugees was created in 2018 by the Jordanian Ministry of Health together with Denmark, the USA and Canada. The idea was to channel funds through a multi-donor fund to the Jordanian health system, which in return would equate registered refugees with uninsured Jordanians, so that they would only have to pay 20% of their health services and not 80% like other foreigners. The new co-payment rate was introduced in March 2019, and since then the fund has supported the renovation of health facilities, hospital equipment and COVID response, especially in Amman, but with plans for new projects in Mafraq, which also hosts many refugees. In supporting the physical capacity of the Jordanian health system, JHFR is creating results that will benefit society for many years to come.
Example of project
Denmark supports the Jordanian Ministry of Health's work in renovating and modernizing the surgical department of Al-Bashir Hospital in Amman. Al-Bashir Hospital is the oldest hospital in Amman and important for both treatment, education and research. By being able to offer Jordanians and refugees complicated operations under public auspices, the public health system can gradually limit the need to refer patients for expensive treatment in private hospitals. This helps to build a sustainable healthcare system that is inclusive towards refugees and can offer high quality services.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plays a crucial role in providing refugee protection worldwide and in finding lasting solutions to refugee problems. Denmark supports UNHCR's efforts in Jordan, where the organization works to protect and assist more than 750,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in the country, in cooperation with the Jordanian government and international and national NGO partners. UNHCR Jordan has six main areas of action: 1) protection: UNHCR assists the Jordanian government in registering and documenting refugees and asylum seekers. In addition, UNHCR provides guidance and support to refugees in a number of areas of protection, 2) Cash-based assistance, 3) Support for education and other training for refugees and vulnerable Jordanians, 4) Health: UNHCR works to ensure that all refugees have access to Jordanian health care. In addition, UNHCR and a number of the organization's partners have established health clinics in refugee camps where refugees have access to free services, 5) support for economic inclusion through income-promoting measures, and 6) lasting solutions. In addition, the UNHCR is helping to lead the Za'atari refugee camp in cooperation with the Jordanian Directorate of Syrian Refugees. The refugee camp houses over 80,000 Syrian refugees and has schools, medical clinics and activity centers.
Example of project
UNHCR, among other things, provides cash-based support to refugees in Jordan to get through the winter. During the winter of 2021-2022, the UNHCR aims to support up to 100,000 refugee families by distributing around 35 million dollars to the most vulnerable families, i.e. 2,300DKK per family. Denmark is one of the project’s donors. The lump sum contributes to vulnerable refugee families having a roof over their heads and to protection against the cold. The majority of refugees use the support to pay for food, rent, heat and fuel. Refugees are selected on the basis of UNHCR's vulnerability criteria. UNHCR has a special focus on women, the elderly, people with medical needs and victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
Read more about UNHCR's work in Jordan here:
UNHCR - Jordan
The World Bank Group
The World Bank is a multilateral organization that works to reduce poverty and support growth. This is done through loans and grants as well as technical assistance to low-income countries. In connection with conflict and crises, such as the Syrian crisis, the Bank provides concessional loans and grants to middle-income countries. The World Bank finances a wide range of projects in various sectors, including typically infrastructure, water, transport, education, health, social safety nets, poverty, environment, investment, job creation and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Example of project
The Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) has been established to help middle-income countries that receive and host large numbers of refugees. The GCFF is administered by the World Bank and provides loans on favourable terms to Jordan, among others. The purpose of the loans is to develop and support the Jordanian state's ability to include the hundreds of thousands of refugees in the health and education sectors, increase water supply, and increase economic opportunities for Jordanians and Syrian refugees, especially young people. As Jordan has a relatively inclusive approach to refugees, the GCFF aims to help the Jordanian state turn the Syrian refugee burden into an opportunity that can help boost the country's economic growth. One of the loans is helping the Jordanian government move forward with three reforms that will strengthen the Jordanian economy while Jordan continues to host a large number of Syrian refugees. The reforms focus on: 1) work permits for Syrian refugees, 2) Jordan's investment opportunities, and 3) attracting investments.
Read more about the Global Concessional Financing Facility on its website here:
