Jordan

Background

Click for a detailed map (PDF)

This map does not reflect a position by UNICEF on the legal status of any country or territory or the delimitation of any frontiers.

Jordan's King and his government are strongly committed to reform, particularly political and fiscal reform. There are major challenges related to subsidies, social safety nets and inflation. The inflationary trend is not ebbing and per capita income required to survive in Jordan has nearly doubled during the last four years. Surrounded by neighbouring countries in conflict or on the verge of conflict, Jordan has had to invest heavily in diplomatic initiatives. In the 2008 Central Government Budget, expenditures on defense, public order and security are the largest expenditure items, while spending on health and education is at only two thirds of the defense and security budget.

Issues facing children in Jordan

• Gender equality remains a challenge in Jordan, with a low literacy rate amongst women compared to that of men. There is also a very low political and economic participation of women. Laws and regulations governing the lives of citizen's fall short of achieving equality between men and women by allowing some discriminatory practices to persist.
• While rates of neonatal mortality have shown slight improvement, it still accounts for nearly three quarters of total infant mortalities.
• One-third of infants in Jordan are born less than two years after a previous birth. These infants are at a particularly high risk of death.
• With 93 per cent of children having ever been breastfed, only about two in five infants are breastfed within one hour of birth. On average, children are exclusively breastfed for less than one month.
• Jordan is a low-prevalence country for HIV/AIDS, but awareness is also low. Almost all ever-married women have heard of AIDS, but only 53 per cent know that the risk of getting HIV can be reduced by using condoms.
• Jordan is among the countries with poorest availability of water. When it comes to sanitation the situation is bleaker; the proportion of households with access to public networks was only 57.3 per cent in 2002-03.
• It is estimated that there are 450,000 to 500,000 Iraqis now living in Jordan due to violence and instability in their own country. Twenty-six per cent of this population is under the age of 15, placing enormous stresses upon the Jordanian education system as it strives to accommodate these children.

Activities and results for children

• UNICEF and its partners have created a framework for effectively responding to child abuse. Doctors, police and education officials have been trained to detect and handle individual cases of abuse. Child-protection committees are being formed in all government hospitals.
• Dozens of social workers, judges, police officers and other professionals have received training on international standards of juvenile justice. In six police centres, new programmes have been created to encourage mediation and alternatives to imprisonment for children in conflict with the law.
• Early childhood development is becoming a high-priority issue. The Ministry of Education is establishing hundreds of new public kindergarten classrooms in disadvantaged communities. Some 29,000 parents and caregivers have attended training sessions to improve their child-care skills.
• At UNICEF's urging, the government provided vitamin A supplements to children in areas where micronutrient deficiencies are widespread. Seventy per cent of the bread sold in Jordan is now fortified with iron.