7 Years Into Exile: How Urban Syrian Refugees, Vulnerable Jordanians and Other Refugees in Jordan are being Impacted by the Syria Crisis

An astounding 82 percent of Syrian refugees in Jordan are living below the poverty line, says a new study from CARE International. The report, Seven Years into Exile, underscores a trend in the regional refugee crisis, highlighting that Syrians in Jordan remain desperate for work, impacted by debt, and struggling with changing gender roles within families as more women seek employment. “Despite Syrian refugee numbers in Jordan remaining more or less constant, we continue to see a trend towards greater aid dependence,” says Eman Ismail, Deputy Country Director for CARE International in Jordan, referring to the 40 percent of refugees who identified aid as their main source of income, an increase from 33 percent in 2016. “Mothers and fathers are doing their best to provide for their families, but without employment, many are falling short.”

The CARE report found that while 78 percent of those surveyed are unemployed, a staggering 89 percent of refugees are saddled with increasing debt, pointing to monthly expenditures for rent, food, and medicine which, with other costs, resulting in expenses 25 percent more than average family income.