Forced Migration in the OIC Member Countries:
Policy Framework Adopted by Host Countries
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Perhaps unsurprisingly given the restrictions on refugees' movement and limited economic
opportunities inside camps, most Syrians and Palestinians choose to live in urban areas, a
trend that has been observed in other refugee populations around the world.192 Just 18
percent of Palestinians live in a camp.193 Refugees from Gaza who arrived during the 1967
flow are the most likely to be living in a camp, possibly because of their more tenuous legal
status and limited access to national services.194 Of those who live in urban areas, most live in
Amman.195 Similarly, most registered Syrians (81 percent) are settled in urban areas,
predominately in Amman (27 percent), Irbid (21 percent), and Mafraq (12 percent). A smaller
number live in the three official Syrian refugee camps, Zaatari (12 percent), Azraq (8 percent),
and Emirati Jordanian Camp (1 percent).196 The Jordanian census, which includes
unregistered Syrians, also shows that urban areas, including Amman and Irbid, are most
popular with Syrians.197
While cities offer more freedom and economic opportunities, housing can be expensive and
difficult to find, with broader consequences for refugees' vulnerability and protection needs.
The influx of additional people to Jordan's cities has resulted in a housing shortage and placed
increased pressure on the housing market. Government estimates indicated that rents may
have increased as much as 14 percent between January 2013 and mid-2015.198 For Syrians,
UNHCR has estimated that rent may amount to more than 55 percent of their living
expenses.199 The difficulties posed by high rent costs are exacerbated by the fact that rent in
Jordan is often paid in advance.200 As few refugees have a legal right to work, families may
resort to harmful coping mechanisms such as child labor in order to afford rent. Those who
cannot generate sufficient income find themselves increasingly in debt; a 2014 NGO study
found that up to a third of refugees in Jordan had outstanding debts with their landlords.201
Moreover, the shelter urban refugees are able to access is often crowded or in poor condition.
An assessment by the Norwegian Refugee Council found that over half of families questioned
were sharing accommodation, and one in five households live in shelter that is not fully
enclosed from poor weather conditions.202
Housing or a lack there of, can also have implications for refugees' legal status in Jordan. Since
new registration requirements came into place in 2015, Syrians are required to present a
proof of residence, such as a lease agreement, in order to receive a Ministry of the Interior
identification card. Those who are living in informal or precarious housing may thus find
themselves unable to obtain the identification needed to access services and are at risk of
being moved back to the refugee camps.203
192 UNHCR estimates that the majority of refugees, as many as 72 percent, live in urban areas rather than camps.
193 Calculations from UNRWA data, UNRWA, “Where we work.”
194 Tiltnes and Zhang , Progress, challenges, diversity.
195 Department of Statistics, (2016) Jordan 2015 Census. PDF (Arabic document)
196 UNHCR, “Registered Syrians in Jordan”
197 Department of Statistics, Jordan 2015 Census.
198 NRC, No Place to Call Home , (Norwegian Refugee Council, 2015),
home---how-syrias-displaced-millions-struggle-to-keep-a-roof-over-their-heads/
199 NRC, No Place to Call Home.
200 Verme et al., The Welfare of Syrian Refugees
201 NRC, No Place to Call Home.
202 NRC, No Place to Call Home.
203 NRC, No Place to Call Home.