Improving green infrastructure by employing refugees

Context

According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 660,000 refugees from Syria were officially registered in Jordan by March 2023. That corresponds to a 10 per cent increase in the Jordanian population. 81 per cent of the refugees live in host communities, thus placing heavy demands on basic infrastructure. There is a lack of functional public green recreational areas as well as insufficient funds to maintain them.

Objective

Refugees are employed to create green infrastructure in Jordan thus improving their income situation, providing green space for community use and contributing to climate change adaptation.

Approach

The project is part of the Special Initiative ‘Displaced Persons and Host Countries’. The measures benefit refugees and host communities. Female and male cash workers build or rehabilitate green infrastructure using local materials and based on simple designs at affordable costs. They create picnic areas in forests or hiking trails in nature reserves to build recreational areas for communities and at the same time preserve nature and ecosystem services. Native drought-resilient trees are planted for reforestation. The project pays particular attention to the needs of women and girls in the public sphere and promotes employment opportunities for them.

4,600 workers have been employed for at least two months in 14 communities and 23 rural areas. Half of the workers are vulnerable Jordanians, while the other half are Syrian refugees – almost 30 per cent are women. Through the earnings, the financial situation of participants improves. After the end of the employment relationship, all workers have the opportunity to participate in trainings.

In addition, the project creates green infrastructure and thereby contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and is a tool to adapt to climate change. It also provides public space for communities to meet and enhances social cohesion.

Last update: July 2023