Declining international funding for Palestinian refugees in Jordan is straining basic services, particularly education, health and protection, according to a new report, at a time when some refugee communities continue to face high poverty rates, weak infrastructure and limited economic opportunity.
اضافة اعلان
The report, titled "Palestinian Refugees in Jordan: One People, Multiple Realities," was issued by the international organization ANERA. It calls on the international community to restore core funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and to establish a predictable, multi-year funding mechanism that prevents further cuts to education, health and protection services.
The report also urges donors to invest in strengthening local community resilience by supporting community-based organizations, expanding mental health and protection services, and backing livelihood programs that help families achieve greater self-reliance.
Gaza-Origin Refugees Face Compounded Vulnerability
ANERA's report singles out roughly 180,000 Palestinian refugees originally from the Gaza Strip as a priority for support, noting that restrictions tied to their legal documentation limit their access to certain jobs and services, deepening poverty within this group. The report argues that aid should be distributed based on need and vulnerability rather than legal status alone, citing stark disparities in living conditions among different Palestinian refugee populations in Jordan.
The report traces much of the current strain to a broader decline in humanitarian and development funding. Jordan's international support has historically come primarily from the United States and the World Bank, along with the European Union, Germany, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands. According to the report, the United States has historically provided about 40 percent of Jordan's foreign aid, and reductions to US funding for the US Agency for International Development, combined with falling contributions to UNRWA, have placed additional pressure on humanitarian systems.
UNRWA Funding Shortfall Forces Salary and Service Cuts
The funding crisis has hit UNRWA especially hard, the report found. The suspension of US contributions in 2024, combined with two other major donors halting support, cost the agency nearly a third of the funding it relies on to pay local staff salaries.
UNRWA entered 2026 facing a global funding shortfall exceeding $220 million. Last February, the agency was forced to cut staff working hours and salaries by 20 percent. UNRWA serves approximately 5.9 million Palestinian refugees across the region, meaning any shortfall in its budget directly affects the scope and quality of services it provides, particularly in education, health and social services.
In Jordan, the report found the funding crisis has led to reduced teaching hours, larger class sizes, shorter clinic hours, disruptions to chronic disease care, and a decline in protection services and social safety nets.
Disparities Between Camps and Communities
The report stresses that conditions among Palestinian refugees in Jordan vary widely depending on legal status, place of residence and economic circumstances. Some refugee groups holding Jordanian citizenship live in camps more integrated with nearby cities, such as Zarqa and New Amman, while other communities face far harsher conditions.
Jerash camp has the highest poverty rate among Jordan's ten official Palestinian refugee camps, with 53 percent of residents living below the national poverty line, according to the report.
Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip who arrived after the 1967 war remain among the most economically vulnerable groups in the Kingdom, numbering approximately 180,000. Their distinct legal status stems from the circumstances of their arrival, as they were issued temporary travel documents rather than national identification numbers. This has limited their access to government jobs and some public services, contributing to higher poverty levels within the group. These refugees are concentrated mainly in the Jerash, Souf and Marka camps.
The report also estimated that around 20,000 Palestinian refugees have been displaced from Syria to Jordan due to the war there, including roughly 2,900 who are stateless.
Source: Al-Ghad, citing a report by ANERA.
