Perceptions Towards UNDP Interventions in Jordan Qualitative Research Report
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Perceptions towards UNDP Interventions in Jordan Qualitative Research Report June, 2006 Table of Contents Executive Summary The Research Sample Segmentation Objectives of the Research Study 1. Analyzing the Target Audience – Outing Habits- Spending their free time – Personal Beliefs- Main Duties and Responsibilities – Personal Beliefs- Most Important Things in Life/ Male – Personal Beliefs- Overall Morale in Life/Males 2. Uncovering Perceptions Towards Developments in the Jordanian Economy – Beliefs Towards Jordan- The Jordanian Economy – Beliefs Towards Jordan- Changes in the Jordanian Economy (past 5 years) – Beliefs Towards Jordan- Areas that need further improvement – Beliefs Towards Jordan- Sources of Aid for Jordan – Where does the aid go?? 3. Perceptions Towards Governance in Jordan – Positive Changes that took place in the Functioning of the Government – Negative Changes that took place in the Functioning of the government – Is the Government doing a better job now in providing better standards of living? – Has the Level of Corruption Increased According to Participants? – Do you feel decision makers understand how you feel? – Scenario of a conflict in a district/town or governorate? Table of Contents 4. Perceptions Towards Empowering the Poor – Do people from low social income groups play an effective role in choosing the member of council/committee? – Are poor people represented in the Council? – Is Money for Services Better Spent? – If your family faced difficulty can you get better help than 5 years ago? – How to secure yourselves in Old Age? – Have their standards of Living Changed Since Retirement? 5. Unemployment and Social Security Issues – Personal Beliefs of the Youthful Participants – Awareness about “DAMAN”/ Social Security Services Available in Jordan – Importance of Social Security to Research Participants – How they look for work – How well are state measures followed by employer 6. Perception Towards Service Delivery of Education 7. Perceptions Towards Health Service Delivery 8. Perceptions Towards the Environment in Jordan 9. Perceptions of Project Implementers of UNDP Interventions – Perceptions of UNDP Project Implementers Regarding the Current Situation – Perceptions of UNDP Project Implementers Regarding the Success of the Projects Table of Contents 10. Perceptions Towards Developments Programs and Interventions in Jordan – Awareness Towards Development Programs Available in Jordan – Similarities and Differences between Development Programs – How they heard about the programs? – Objectives of these Programs According to Participants – Perceived Targets of Development Programs 11. Perceptions towards the UNDP – What participants know about the UN – Spontaneous Responses to UN – What participants know about the UNDP – Spontaneous Responses to UNDP – Perceived Advantages of the UNDP – Perceived Disadvantages of the UNDP – Perceived Target Beneficiary of UNDP Interventions 12. Personal Experience: Perception of Beneficiaries – How did they benefit from these projects – Disadvantages of Development Programs in Jordan 13. Recommendations: Creating the Ideal Aid/Support for Jordan 14. Appendices Executive Summary • UNDP provides substantial support to developing Jordan in • It was evident that participants were well-informed areas of good governance, poverty alleviation and protecting about the objectives of UNDP interventions in the environment. The “Perceptions Towards UNDP Jordan, mainly to better improve the standards of Interventions” research study was conducted in June 2006 in living of the people of Jordan by; helping the poor, order to find out how these interventions contributed to reducing unemployment and creating job improving the standards of living of the people of Jordan over opportunities, teaching and educating the people, the past five years on average. and supporting and developing Jordanian citizens. • Twelve focus group sessions were conducted with UNDP • However, participants felt the UNDP interventions direct and indirect beneficiaries, where several issues related had affected Jordan positively by the providing to the changes participants witnessed in their general grants that contribute to enhancing Jordanians’ standards of living were discussed. Several factors, and not standards of living. Yet although participants knew just UNDP interventions, play an effective role in improving the that the UNDP was a great source for aid and livelihoods of the Jordanians, and therefore it is impossible to development to Jordan it was evident that many attribute the positive and negative changes that have occurred participants had negative perceptions. solely to the UNDP interventions. However, as the UNDP spread their network of projects amongst a wide target of both • The main negative perceptions pertaining to the private and governmental bodies in various areas of Jordan, it UNDP and its interventions was the fact that is reasonable to state that the UNDP can find out from the participants felt they do not promote their programs course of this study whether their interventions have effectively, their projects were poorly planned, their contributed positively or if they needed a different kind of means of supporting beneficiaries was not efficient approach in their aid. and effective, and that they did not distribute their efforts equally to areas in most need. • As for a general perception concluded by this research, a great deal of participants have witnessed changes in their lifestyles that were negative over the past five years. The drastic changes in the Jordanian economy have been mostly a source that contributed to the struggle-to-survive that research participants discussed throughout the research. Executive Summary The Economic Situation • The economic situation in the country has played a major role in decreasing the morale of research participants, and was adding to their worries and fears of being able to survive in the real world. It was perceived that participants were feeling down due to bad economic situations and the constant rise in the prices of basic necessities which was not matched with increased income levels was leaving them stressing about securing their livelihoods. Many mentioned that they live in depression and feel pressured from their families, children and society to provide more. • With all the changes that have taken place in Jordan over the past years many of the effects of the changes have been positive, and many have been negative. Decidedly affecting different targets in different ways. It was evident that research participants viewed the Jordanian economy negatively, and were more readily able to highlight its weaknesses. Although they believed that major developments were taking place, they also felt that the economy was also withering, which made them begin to lose faith in it. The economy was described as one that is weak, unstable and destructive. Indicating that they were finding survival in such an economy more difficult. • Several positive changes in the functioning of the government in the past five years were mentioned, such as the improvements in the infrastructure, better health and social services provided to citizens, exerting more efforts in trying to improve standards of living, paying more attention to minority groups, and better trade relations. On the other hand, the negative changes that took place in the functioning of the government in the past five years according to research findings were the increased corruption in the dealings of the government, the unfair distribution of intervention and development efforts in various areas and targets in Jordan, and the government’s inability to keep the prices of goods and services controlled. It was evident that participants felt that many areas need further improving in Jordan, especially the educational and agricultural sectors which were amongst the top two areas according to research findings. Executive Summary • When participants were asked about the most important things in their lives, it was evident that the majority of all research participants mentioned that their families, religious beliefs, education, stable employment and their health. However, in all focus group sessions conducted, all participants stated with mockery and confusion “Where does all the aid go?” as it was evident that they did not feel the aid was directly affecting them or contributing to improving the things that they valued in life. • According to a majority of research participants, the government was currently doing a worse job in trying to improve standards of living in comparison to five years ago. As they mainly attributed this to the increase in the prices of goods and services that participants could not adapt to. Other views mentioned were the poverty levels which had risen immensely, therefore enforcing their doubts or participants about the way the government is functioning Governance • According to research findings, governance had not improved in the country. Corruption, which poses serious development challenges and undermines democracy and good governance, was a major issue that was mentioned several times by participants. It was evident that participants felt that the level of corruption amongst officials and their agents who handle the money and resources has increased. • Participants also felt that decision makers understood how the people felt and were able to identify their needs and concerns but chose not to help them. According to them, their rights and voices were not heard, and