SYRIAN REFUGEES IN URBAN JORDAN BASELINE ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED VULNERABILITIES AMONG SYRIAN REFUGEES LIVING IN IRBID, MADABA, MUFRAQ, AND ZARQA CARE JORDan ∙ RAPID PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITY Assessment ∙ APRIL 2013 RAPID PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT This baseline assessment builds on prior assessments and research conducted by CARE Jordan and other actors to further source and analyze information relating to the presence, strengths, capacities, resources, protection risks, and assistance needs of the Syrian refugee communities living in the urban areas of Northern Jordan. QUICK REFERENCE: JOD 1=USD 1.41 (fixed) This report was written by Kate Washington and Jared Rowell. Data analysis was conducted by Lana Qadoumi, Jared Rowell, Eyad Mohammed Ghatasheh, and Kate Washington. The survey was conducted by Ruba Saleh, Abdullah Nizam al-Deen, Mohammed Saleh al-Sinjar, Asma’a Omar al-Sabbah, Muthab Abdullah Nezam al-Deen, Aya Walid Sa’ad al-Deen, Abdullah Srakbi, Adel Bondokji, and Samah al-Zoubi. The survey work for this assessment took place from January 13 to February 28, 2013. All photographs Cory Eldridge/CARE Copyright ©2013 by Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc. (CARE). All rights reserved. Executive Summary 2 Background and Context 7 CARE’s Baseline Data 8 Background Family Characteristics 8 Table 1. Age Range of Participants 8 Survey Results in Brief 9 Survey Data 10 Table 2. City of Origin 10 Table 3. Level of Education 10 Table 4. Reasons for Leaving Syria 12 Settlement Patterns 12 Households’ Livelihoods and Coping Strategies 12 Table 5. Reported Monthly Income 13 Table 6. Monthly Expenditure 13 Table 7. Monthly Cost of Rent and Utilities 15 Table 8. Monthly Food Expenses 16 Source of Income 16 Table 9. Source of Income 16 Table 10. Current Work Status 17 Education or Work for Syrian Children 17 Table 11. School-age Children Enrolled in School 17 CONTENTS Assistance 18 Table 12. Type of Assistance 18 Table 13. Source of Assistance 18 Table 14. Cash Assistance Amounts 20 Debt 20 Table 15. Debt 20 Residence 20 Female-headed Households 21 Table 16. Female-headed Households by City 21 Household/Shelter Conditions/Facilities 22 Access to Basic Household Items 23 The Most Vulnerable Families 24 CARE Participatory Survey Results 26 Livelihoods and Shelter 27 Psychosocial 29 Children and Education 32 Health Care 33 Human Rights and Protection 35 Crosscutting Issues: Gender 37 Going Forward 42 Recommendations 47 Next Steps and Research Topics 48 SYRIAN REFUGEES IN URBAN JORDAN 1 Children from an extended family sit inside one of several tents in a makeshift camp EXECUTIVE SUMMARY outside of Mufraq. Across the survey, 60% of school-age children are not attending school. In Mufraq the number is 69%. In October 2012, CARE Jordan released the findings of its baseline assessment on Syrian refugees living in Amman. Prior to this, no comprehensive assessment of Syrian refugees had been conducted, causing a scarcity of information regarding the needs of, and gaps in services available to, the Syrian refugee community living in urban areas. As Amman has markedly different characteristics from other cities in Jordan, it became necessary to conduct a new baseline assessment with Syrian households living in those communities, and analyze and compare findings from the two assessments. In early 2013, a research team working under the auspices of CARE Jordan conducted a participatory assessment and baseline survey of Syrian refugee households living in the cities of Irbid, Madaba, Mufraq, and Zarqa. As of April 7, 2013, there are 408,268 persons of concern in contact with the UNHCR in Jordan, 345,110 of whom are registered and a further 63,158 of whom are awaiting registration. Based on information from the UNHCR, the total number of Syrian refugees living in urban areas is now approximately 291,000 people (with 117,000 living in camps). The purpose of this report is to identify urban Syrian refugees’ current coping mechanisms and any gaps in services available to Syrian refugees in Jordan. CARE’s research team conducted a five-week rapid participatory assessment and baseline survey in order to extract information from a large sample of Syrian households. The research methodology is both qualitative and participatory in design, drawing from the UNHCR Tool for Participatory Assessment in Operations. 2 CARE JORDAN MIXED METHODOLOGY: • 50% of the households had the government of Jordan • 240 household interviews service card with the vast (quantitative and qualitative) majority of the households • Eight focus group discussions intending to register. (89 participants) • 4% of the survey participants • Stakeholder interviews reported having special needs (UNHCR, INGOs, and CBOs) (i.e., being disabled or elderly, or having chronic illness). Note: Data collection took place • 70% of households have % between January 13 and February received identification from 28, 2013. the Jordanian government, 60 of school-age and 27% have an application This report presents only the in process. children are not data from household interviews, • 35% of households had one or attending school baseline assessment, and the more members engaged in paid follow-up focus groups conducted labor. with community members. • 45% of adult males capable The average Additional analysis “checking” was of working had some form shortfall between conducted with other stakeholders. of employment (166 men), The information presented here while 55% self-reported as income and is offered as indicative of the unemployed, and no expenditure is situation of Syrians living in the women reported earning an four cities of this assessment and income from work outside the provides reference to the results house.2 JOD 185 of the CARE October assessment, • 34% of households reported which took place in Amman. no income, and the remaining 66% had an average income Background characteristics: The of JOD 190 (however, 41% number of households surveyed of those households had a was 240, with a total number monthly income of JOD 150 % of 1,476 household members or less). 55 and 89 focus group participants • 72% of households stated that of female-headed representing 534 household they were in debt, with an households members. Households contained average household debt of just reported that they mixed family groups and the over JOD 500. average household size was 6.2. • 46% of households have do not have any All participants in the survey were expenditures over JOD 300 per income Sunni Muslims. month, with average monthly 1. Nine households. This is below the UNHCR’s 31%. expenditures of JOD 303. In order to ensure that the SURVEY RESULTS IN BRIEF: • The average shortfall between vulnerabilities of female- income and expenditure across headed households were fully represented, CARE • The survey group, including the whole survey population is also invited 13 female children, was 51% female and JOD 185. heads of households to 49% male. • 95% of the surveyed a focus group session to discuss the vulnerabilities • 18% of the survey participants households had received some indentified in the survey. were from female-headed form of assistance from local or 1 2. A small number of households (FHHs). international organizations at women were engaged in • 50% of the total number of least once. economic activities from family members were children • 55% of FHHs reported that home, including food 3 preparation, tailoring, (under 18). they do not have any income. jewelry making, etc. • 60% of school-age children are • 40% of households pay over not attending school. JOD 150 a month for a two- 3. 25% of FHHs had a member working, all of • 43 school-age children were room apartment.4 whom were male children. reported as working (10%). • Across the survey, 4. 70% of FHHs pay rent • 92% of households were accommodation was on average in this range. registered with the UNHCR. ranked as poor. 2 CARE JORDAN SYRIAN REFUGEES IN URBAN JORDAN 3 • 33% of the sample had poor or PARTICIPATORY SURVEY RESULTS savings or emergency funds to be very poor access to heating. IN BRIEF able to absorb financial shocks or • 57% of the survey reported Participants were asked to identify emergencies. that drinking water was not the vulnerabilities of most concern available and that they had to to them and their households and Psychosocial: While many buy purified water. any changes over time. Participants households reported good relations • 55% had poor or very poor were also encouraged to identify any with neighbors and access to flooring and 31% had poor or changes over time and any capacities community networks, feelings of very poor roofing. for change or improvement. isolation and loss of community In general, the vulnerabilities were consistently reported by The table below shows how the identified across the four survey almost all interviewees, across all baseline data from Irbid, Madaba, sites did not differ significantly from ages and genders. Many people Mufraq, and Zarqa compares with area to area or from the results of report being unable to engage in data from Amman. the October survey in Amman. They activities outside of the home due include, in brief: to the high costs associated with In general, the survey found that recreational activity, even visiting households in Irbid were larger, Livelihoods: Livelihoods and food friends or family. This survey had less income, and had more security were identified as areas of found that many participants debt than households in other concern by all respondents, both for reported increased feelings of areas. The level of debt survey those who were currently extremely depression and negativity, increased respondents reported was vulnerable and those at the margins levels of family violence (both considerably higher than in of vulnerability. In particular, verbal and physical), and many the October survey in Amman households were extremely anxious mothers reported that children and a much higher percentage about the cost of living across were increasingly demonstrating of respondents reported debt the kingdom.