Jordan

Children in a field.

Oscar Durand for CRS

Jordan

  • 3.9K+

    Participant services delivered

  • 11M+

    Population

  • 89K

    Sq km area

CRS in Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan continues to play host to more than 1.3 million refugees, according to Government of Jordan estimates. In spite of its scarce resources, Jordan’s geographical location and its openness and stability have made it a safe haven for refugees for decades, with refugees currently residing in Jordan from Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The monarchy and the government have put continuous and consistent efforts towards addressing key social and security issues, confirming Jordan as a stable and open country and a respected member of the international community.

While the majority of the Jordanian population is Muslim, there is a significant presence of Christian communities, dating back to the very beginning of Christianity. Arabic-speaking Orthodox and Catholic churches have a well-respected role in social life.

In Jordan, CRS works with the local Caritas to provide —annually — critical assistance to more than 68,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees and poor Jordanians, including basic health and psychosocial services, education, and basic emergency services. CRS also provides accompaniment to Caritas Jordan, promoting a strong partnership relationship and strengthening institutional capacity for efficient operational management and program implementation.

In addition, CRS provides legal assistance to migrant workers in need of protection.

CRS' History in Jordan

For the past 20 years, CRS has been providing support to the social action of the Catholic Church in Jordan, primarily through Caritas Jordan.

In addition to project-based assistance for poor and vulnerable people, CRS has helped Caritas Jordan find ways to promote the values Catholic Social Doctrine amongst local Catholic communities and attract young volunteers, also on an ecumenical and interfaith basis.

More recently, CRS started working with the Adaleh Center for Human Rights and Law, a secular Jordanian NGO, on protection for migrant women.

Currently, CRS has a presence in Amman which is hosted by Caritas Jordan.