Context
Jordan hosts many refugees, including 638,760 registered individuals from Syria. Of these, 81 per cent live outside refugee camps. This places heavy demands on the country's infrastructure, particularly the healthcare system. At the same time, it is evident that many people – both refugees and members of the host communities – suffer from stress, anxiety, or trauma. Therefore, it is important to expand psychosocial support (PSS) in order to improve their mental health and social well-being.
Objective
Basic psychosocial support is successfully established as an integral part of public healthcare provision in Jordan.
Approach
The project works closely with the Jordanian Ministry of Health (MoH), community-based organisations (CBOs), and universities. Together, they implement the following measures:
• Develop training programmes to integrate PSS into public health services, particularly for women who have experienced violence and for schoolchildren;
• Support existing providers, such as International Medical Corps, in expanding and improving their services;
• Draw up guidelines for staff care, establish a centre for staff and self-care, and train personnel in stress management;
• Make one health facility accessible and improve staff care spaces in other facilities;
• Enable CBOs to offer PSS that is sensitive to trauma, gender, and conflict;
• Introduce PSS courses in the context of refugees at universities;
• Organise dialogue meetings to promote the exchange of best practices among stakeholders;
• Enhance within CBOs staff care and self care, group-based PSS, peer support, PSS for persons with disabilities, and the sustainability of PSS services
Last update: August 2025