PROJECT
Jordan has one of the youngest populations in the world, with 63 per cent of its population under the age of 30. Unemployment rates for young people are comparably high, as 38 per cent of the 20 to 24-year-old group are unemployed. At the same time, 53 per cent of the 15 to 19-year-old workers are employed in the informal economy. Young people In Jordan view economic engagement as their main priority, but securing employment takes up to three years on average. The situation for women and non-Jordanians is even more challenging. Jordan has the fourth lowest female labour force participation rate in the world, with women's unemployment standing at 27.5% compared to 17.1% for males . Non-Jordanians, including Palestinian and Syrian refugees, must find employment outside the closed professional sectors, which is challenging. An estimated 84 per cent of Syrian refugee youth are unemployed; those who secure either informal or formal income-generation are at increased risk of harmful or exploitative labour due to their status. Ex-Gazans (Palestinians who were never granted Jordanian citizenship) also are among the most vulnerable people living in Jordan and are most affected by unemployment. Jerash camp, also known as Gaza camp, is the poorest among the ten Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, while it is also the fifth most populous. One of the main factors contributing to the widespread unemployment in the camp is the national status of its residents, who have restrictions for their professional sectors of work. Ex-Gazans, who constitute around 90 per cent of the registered Palestinian refugees in the camp, are three times more likely to be among the poorest citizens in society, surviving on less than $1.25 per day. UNICEF is supporting young people as they transition from adolescence to adulthood and seek meaningful employment. This is achieved by equipping them with key employability and entrepreneurial skills and opportunities to engage in and foster social cohesion in their communities, paving the way for their positive and economically active future.
- UNICEF, Jerash camp
- UNICEF