Adapting to a Protracted Refugee Crisis: Analyzing the humanitarian response to the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan

摘要

In the past, refugee status was considered a short-­term consequence of conflict. Today, protracted refugee situations (PRS) are the norm rather than the exception. This shift has forced humanitarian actors to develop new strategies to handle the challenges of working with refugees in the long­-term. This project examines the protracted refugee crisis of Syrian refugees in Jordan. Using interviews conducted in the summer of 2015 in Amman, Jordan, this paper asks (1) what are the implication of the PRS for Syrians in Jordan and (2) how can solutions implemented in past PRS provide answers on how to respond to the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan? Syrians in Jordan face barriers to leaving camps, cuts in humanitarian aid, and are not able to work legally. As a result, refugees have resorted to child labor, early marriage, and have even left Jordan to return to Syria or seek resettlement in Europe. After examining past responses to PRS, this research suggests that opening up special economic zones for Syrian employment in Jordan and shifting Sphere Standards would better meet the needs of refugees and host communities in the long­-term.