A Syrian refugee helps decorate one of the public bathrooms in Zaatari refugee camp in Mafraq, Jordan. Photograph: Mohammad Hannon/AP
By the end of this year, there will be one Syrian in Jordan for every six Jordanians. This stark figure is just one example of the impact the civil war in Syria is having on neighbouring countries, where an estimated 1.7 million Syrians have fled, with more seeking safety every day. It is a figure that should spur the international community into action.
The World Bank has approved $150m to help Jordan address the rising pressure on communities along its border with Syria and in the capital, Amman. A large share of Syrian refugees in Jordan are not in camps and have fled into urban areas, beyond the reach of direct UN and other donor assistance. Roughly 70% of these refugees are estimated to be hosted in local communities, resulting in enormous strain on public resources.
In Mafraq, north-east of Amman, the population has grown from 90,000 to 200,000 in months, stretching public services to the limit. Despite the sharp increase in waste, the town is still using the same six compactors to process rubbish; school class sizes have nearly doubled and double-shifting has become commonplace in the north, where schools open at dawn and close after dark. The mayor and governor fear the summer heat may burn through already scarce water resources, pushing health and sanitation services to the brink.
Beyond public resources, Jordanians are also feeling the pinch in the markets. Food is more expensive, rents have tripled in some cases, and competition for jobs has driven wages down. It is easy to see how these factors could stir tension between Jordanian citizens and Syrian refugees.
When I met Jordan’s King Abdullah recently, we talked about what the World Bank could do to help. The king emphasised Jordan’s commitment to keeping its borders open, and to helping Syrian refugees, noting that the government has included them in the services it delivers to its own citizens. It was clear to me that the international community must play a role to ensure that Jordan does not shoulder this burden alone. The same needs to apply in Lebanon and Turkey, which are also facing a crush of refugees from Syria.
Following the meeting with King Abdullah, World Bank staff worked with the Jordanian authorities to pinpoint where public services were most stressed. The health sector emerged as an area in need of immediate support. Since January of last year, the number of Syrian refugees seeking primary healthcare has risen from around 60 to 16,000. Hospital intakes have soared from 300 to more than 10,000. And communicable diseases such as TB, polio and measles – previously eliminated in Jordan – have begun making a comeback. Medicine and vaccines have declined to dangerously low levels.
As the carnage in Syria rages and global leaders urge resolution, there are vital areas outside the political realm where the international community can act quickly and have an impact.
First, there must be continued – and greater – support for the UN’s work for Syrian refugees in camps in Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. Strong support should also go to the Lebanese government and international partners for harbouring and assisting refugees. It is absolutely crucial that these efforts continue, and that donors maintain support for life-saving operations.
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Categories: Arab World, Asia, Jordan, Syria