The European Union has pledged €10 million in funding to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to enhance the education, integration, and well-being of vulnerable children and youth throughout Jordan, including those in schools within refugee camps.
Dubbed the “Education Programs for Vulnerable Syrian Children and Host Community Children in Jordan” at Makani Centers, the initiative, as per a UNICEF press release dated February 14, aims to deliver quality education to over 36,000 children and adolescents residing in Syrian refugee camps.
Moreover, the program will extend its benefits to 9,000 vulnerable children and youth from various backgrounds, including Jordanian, Syrian, and other nationalities, through education, child protection, and skills development initiatives at Makani centers.
Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, the EU Ambassador to Jordan, emphasized the paramount importance of investing in young people, outlining the program’s objective to provide educational access to 45,000 Syrian refugees and Jordanian students in schools located within camps and Makani centers.
Chatzisavas underscored the robust partnership between the European Union, Jordan’s Ministry of Education, and UNICEF, spanning over the past decade, highlighting its enduring impact on the region’s educational landscape.
Expressing gratitude for the European Union’s support, Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF Representative in Jordan, emphasized the critical role of such assistance in empowering vulnerable children and youth across Jordan, equipping them with the necessary education, skills, and protection to forge a prosperous future.
Number of Syrians in Jordan
As of January 31, statistics released by the operational data portal of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights indicate that there are a total of 643,199 registered Syrian refugees in Jordan.
Zaatari camp, situated approximately 10 kilometres east of the northern Jordanian city of Mafraq, accommodates 78,473 refugees, as reported by the operational data portal.
Meanwhile, the Azraq camp, located in the northeast of the Kingdom of Jordan, hosts 45,348 refugees. Notably, the portal highlights that only 18% of refugees in Jordan reside in camps, underscoring the significant portion of refugees living outside camp settings.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
