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UNHCR Jordan Factsheet: Field Office - Irbid (February 2016)

Attachments

The refugees in Irbid, Jerash, and Ajloun governorates live primarily in urban and rural areas, in communities with Jordanians. UNHCR FOIrbid provides protection services, cash assistance, Asylum Seeker Certificates, counselling, and case management. UNHCR also works with partners to improve access to essential services, including education and health care, and coordinates humanitarian activity in the north of Jordan. FO-Irbid also manages, in cooperation with the Government of Jordan’s Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate (SRAD), two camps established in 2012: King Abdallah Park and Cyber City.

KEY FACTS

  • 31% Percentage of urban Syrian refugees in Jordan residing in Irbid, Jerash, and Ajloun governorates - 121,163 Total active caseload registered at FO-Irbid since 2013 (As of 31 January 2016)
  • Feb 2013 Establishment of Irbid Registration Centre
  • Jan 2014 Establishment of FO-Irbid
  • 82,441 MOI service cards issued to Syrian refugees in Irbid AoR between August 2015 and 31 Jan 2016, upon their undergoing urban verification

HIGHLIGHTS

UNHCR completes distribution of 7,875 high-thermal blankets to vulnerable refugees in Irbid, Ajloun, and Jerash

On 4 January, FOI completed distribution of 7,875 high-thermal blankets donated by the United States to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers via the Community Support Committees: 2,250 via the Jerash CSC; 2,250 via the Ajloun CSC; 2,250 via the Irbid Syrian CSC, and 1,125 via the Irbid Iraqi CSC. Thirty percent of the blankets were distributed to vulnerable Jordanians identified through the CSCs. The membership of the Community Support Committees is composed half of refugees and half of local community members. The committees promote social cohesion and peaceful coexistence and help UNHCR to identify and reach the most vulnerable members of the community.

FOI holds awareness sessions on education, protection, and health services

On 19 and 20 January, a multifunctional team from FOI, in conjunction with Save the Children-Jordan and Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development-Legal Aid (ARDD-LA), conducted two awareness raising sessions with refugees, both males and females, in Irbid and Jerash. The main topics of the activity were: the importance of education in reducing child labor and early marriage; the importance of authenticating marriage in Sharia courts and obtaining birth certificates for newborn babies; and the health services provided to persons of concern, including covering of natural and Cesarean deliveries; the role of the Jordan Health Aid Society (JHAS) focal point in Jerash, and fees for the medical clearance certificate. 150 people in Jerash and 38 people in Irbid attended the sessions.

UNHCR Mobile Help Desks in Ramtha and Jerash move to new locations

In January FOI moved the locations of Ramtha and Jerash help desks to more accessible and newer locations. The Ramtha HD is conducted at the new JHAS clnic in central Ramtha town while the Jerash HD now takes place at the NRC drop-in centre in central Jerash town. FOI conducts mobile help desks on a bimonthly basis in each of Ramtha, Jerash, and Ajloun.

The mobile help desks allow refugees to consult UNHCR staff members in person about protection, community services, and health issues, as well as monthly financial assistance. This outreach service saves them the time and transport fees of the trip to Irbid Registration Centre for counseling. At the mobile help desks, refugees can also request appointments to renew their Asylum Seeker Certificates, an essential piece of documentation used as a protection tool.