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Chapter 2 Jordan
According to the World Bank 12 , although Jordan did not experience a major regime change, it has
experienced its own version of the “Arab Spring.” Since February 2011, “low-scale but persistent
demonstrations have challenged the government to initiate political reform and address economic
governance.” There were also external influences that had adverse impacts on Jordan’s
economic stability especially in two regards: “The sharp drop in gas supplies from Egypt led to a
surge in Jordan’s current account and fiscal deficits; and the Syrian conflict which led to a large
influx of refugees is further straining Jordan’s difficult fiscal position.”
Against this background, civil society has undergone a number of challenges since 2011.
According to Human Rights Watch, in June 2012, the Jordanian cabinet issued a decision
against Tamkeen, a Jordanian legal assistance group. This decision is “the first denial of
foreign funding that has come to Human Rights Watch’s attention since the cabinet-level review
provision became law in 2009.” 13 It is worth noting that in 2009, Jordan changed its law regulating
non-governmental organizations. While the revised law makes it easier for groups to register,
it increases government intervention in their work, “including through a new clause requiring
cabinet-level approval for foreign funding.”
Regarding youth volunteerism, the key document which regulates youth issues in Jordan is the
National Youth Strategy 2009-2013, which is an update from the National Youth Strategy 2005-
2009. Although the identified priorities in the strategy include citizenship; civil participation and
rights; recreational activity and leisure time; culture and information; information technology
and globalization; education; and health and environment, the Ministry of Youth and Sports was
dissolved in 2012 amidst scepticism about the implementation of the afore-mentioned strategies,
leading to operational inefficiencies which reduce the benefits available to the youth in the
country. People under 30 constitute a large percentage of the population in Jordan and education
enrolment, which is compulsory until the age of 16, is high. However, this high education
rate also creates high expectations of young people regarding the labour market. Given the
regressing global economic situation at present, unemployment rates are skyrocketing.
The World Bank’s 2013 World Development Report on Jobs indicates that unemployment rates in
Jordan in 2010 reached over 22 per cent among young men and over 45 per cent among young
women 14 . This problem is exacerbated by a mismatch between those jobs that are available and
the skill profile of graduates. At the same time, a high level of focus on hard sciences such as
health and engineering has led to a disproportionate number of qualified young Jordanians in
these sectors. In addition, the government education system is almost exclusively lecture-based
and allows little room for interactive and reciprocal learning, which are pre-requisites to studying
social sciences or engaging in active citizenship. With enrolment in fields such as social sciences
and business studies falling behind, the pool of candidates entering the labour market becomes
distorted and leaves less opportunity for youth in Jordan to find employment.
UNV Findings Report
A young volunteer participates in Youth Volunteer Summer Camp in Jordan (by WupY-
PS/UNV, 2013)
The UNV consultation workshop took place on 2-3 May 2012 in Amman, Jordan. Fifty
stakeholders, ranging from young Jordanians, the private sector and national/international NGOs
to government officials and academics, participated in the consultation workshop. Government
participants included representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sport as well as from the
Ministry of Planning. The diversity of the participants resulted in a broad range of opinions and
interests, ensuring that discussions were rich in opinions and laid the groundwork for future
12 World Bank. “Jordan Overview.”
13 Human Rights Watch. “Jordan: Government Clamps Down on Civil Society.” August 2012.
14 “Youth Unemployment Remains a Major Challenge for Jordan.” The Jordan Times. August 2013.
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