The socio-economic conditions of Jordan’s Palestinian camp refugees : summary of findings from two surveys, 2011 / Åge A. Tiltnes, Huafeng Zhang. Oslo : FAFO, 2014 ; Halle (Saale) : Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt, 2014
Content
Acronyms
Contents
Foreword
1. Introduction
2. Population
Palestinian refugees defined
Eighty-five per cent of camp refugees are Jordanian nationals
First-generation 1948 refugee are waning; weaker contact with other countries
A relatively young population
Most women outlive their husbands
Six in ten women aged 25 are married
Falling household size
Nuclear households constitute nearly four in five households
3. Housing
Apartment housing increasingly common
Four in five households own their homes (despite lack of land title)
Living space of 15-20 square meters per person the ‘norm’
The average dwelling comprises three rooms
Crowding halved since the 1990s
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3
3.0
4. Health
Nine in ten adults perceive their general health to be very good or good
Over 60 per cent of men aged 20 to 44 smoke cigarettes daily
Chronic illness higher among the poor and those with low education
Nearly one-half has health insurance
Public and UNRWA healthcare most often used
UNRWA dominates the provision of pre- and post-natal care
Overall satisfaction with health services
5. Education
University studies increasingly popular
Camps differ significantly in attainment
Post-secondary education associated with economic standing
Shrinking illiteracy
Surge in kindergarten enrolment
School enrolment at a glimpse
Enrolment in basic school higher for girls
Nine in ten children attend UNRWA schools
Half of 16 and 17-year olds enrolled in secondary education
One per cent drop-out
Domestic duties and poverty main reasons for dropping out
Overall satisfaction with basic education
Large class size of high concern
6. Labour force participation
The ILO framework
Low labour force participation, especially for women
More education brings about increased labour force participation, particularly for women
Marriage with opposite effects on young women and young men
Few children in the labour force
Women increasingly work as professionals and managers
Work contracts gradually more common
Women work less hours
A third work close to home
1.0
1.1
Two in five report job insecurity
A majority satisfied with their jobs
Slightly higher unemployment amongst women
One third of youth unemployed
Camp variation in unemployment rates
Lack of Jordanian citizenship does not impact labour force participation and unemployment
Time-related underemployment lower than before
7. Income and poverty
Income level and income distribution similar to 1999
Less diversified household income
Transfer income less common
Jarash camp with lowest score on the asset index
Few have savings
One in five households define themselves as poor
Poverty—a brief introduction
Three in ten households are poor; considerable variation across camps
Some household types more vulnerable
Multiple income earners and income sources bring poverty down
Poverty and substandard housing goes hand in hand
Poverty rate increases steadily with falling education
Higher incidence of poverty amongst ‘ex-Gazans’
Shrinking income inequality
Well-targeted poverty assistance
The amount of support higher from NAF than UNRWA
References