Leave No One Behind agenda: Jordan baseline findings

Leave No One Behind Agenda:
Jordan Baseline Findings
Information Research Centre - King Hussein Foundation
Amman, Monday 14th October 2019
Group of adolescents in Mafraq, Jordan © Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Agenda
Photographs and/or video will be taken at today’s event and will be used for communication
purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed please inform an event organiser.
Monday 14th October – Information Research Centre King Hussain Foundation
09:30 – 09:45 Welcome
09:45 – 11:15 Roundtable 1 – Education access and learning outcomes
11:15- 11:30 COFFEE & TEA BREAK
11:30-13:00 Roundtable 2- Life skills for adolescents and caregivers
13:00-13:45 LUNCH
13:45-15:15 Roundtable 3- Inclusive services for adolescents with disabilities
15:15-15:30 Closing Remarks

GAGE Jordan Key Baseline Findings:
Education access and learning outcomes
©
Dr Sarah Baird and Majed Abu Azzam
Amman, October 2019
Adolescents girls at school in Jordan © Ingrid Gercama / GAGE 2019

Outline of presentation
1
• GAGE overview
2
• GAGE findings on education
3
• Priority actions

Please note that the photographs of
adolescents DO NOT capture GAGE
research participants and consent was
gained from their guardians for the
photographs to be used for GAGE
communications purposes.
Overview:
GAGE research
12 year old Syrian girl in Mafraq @ Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE):
A longitudinal research programme (2015-2024)
By finding out ‘what works,’ for whom, where
and why, we can better support adolescent girls
and boys to maximise their capabilities now and
in the future.
We are following the largest cohort of adolescents in the Global South

Why adolescence?
An age of opportunity The demographic imperative
% total population 10-24 years in 2013
In Jordan, in 2015, 20%
of the population was
between 10 and 19.
1-in-5 of Jordan’s children,
3.2 million individuals, are
multidimensionally poor
ADOLESCENCE
10-19 years
Rapid neuro-
development
changes Growing
adoption of
adult-like
roles, e.g.
work, intimate
relationships
Increased
salience of
gender
norms in
daily lifeIncreased
interaction
with peers vs
parents
Psycho-
emotional
and self-
identity
changes
Physical and
reproductive
changes
Source: Accelerating adolescent girls’ education and empowerment:
G7 Whistler Meeting 2018 | May 2018

1. How do adolescent girls and boys in diverse low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
experience transitions from childhood to adulthood? How do these differ by age, gender,
disability, geographic location?
Stemming from our conceptual framework, GAGE addresses three core sets of questions:
2. What effects do adolescent-focused
programme interventions have on
adolescent capabilities in the short and
longer-term?
3. What programme design and
implementation characteristics matter for
effective delivery and scalability?
GAGE Core Research Questions

GAGE longitudinal research sample
10
Jordan 4000 Jordan 220 Jordan 50

Quantitative baseline sample breakdown in Jordan
11
Adolescent girls Adolescent boys
Female
caregivers
Age 10 to 14 15-18 Sum 10 to 14 15-18 Sum TOTAL Sum
Formal camps 381 302 683 354 311 665 1348 1311
Informal tented
settlements
86 65 151 78 79 157 308 305
Host communities 641 639 1280 633 532 1165 2445 2447
TOTAL 1108 1006 2114 1065 922 1987 4101 4063
Sub-sample of
adolescents with
disabilities
115 95 210 128 79 207 417 417
Sub-sample of married
/ divorced adolescents
4 183 187 0 3 3 190 186

Quantitative baseline sample breakdown –
by nationality and location
12
Location Syrian Jordanian Palestinian Other
Formal camps
Azraq 513 0 0 0
Zaatari 545 0 0 0
Gaza 0 17 273 0
Informal tented settlements
296 6 0 6
Host communities
1736 619 31 59
TOTAL 3090 642 304 65

GAGE findings on
education
A boy in host community © Herwig/UNICEF 2019
‘God willing, I wish to be a
teacher.’
(9th grade Syrian boy, host
community)

Adolescents are (generally) aiming high
Our survey found that young people in Jordan have high educational aspirations—
though there are notable differences.
82% want to complete at least some secondary school
70% want to complete at least some university
 Girls aspire higher than boys
 Jordanians have the highest aspirations and Palestinians the lowest
 Adolescents living in ITS have lower aspirations than those in host communities
and camps

Educational aspirations are often gendered
‘All of us want to go back to school. We want
to convince our parents to send us to school.
This is our ambition.’
(Syrian adolescent girl in an ITS)
‘We won’t be able to achieve anything. If we
were in Syria, then a person could study, and
they would find a job there.’
(12-year-old boy in an ITS)
‘He says he prefers to drop school and start
working.’ (Syrian mother, Azraq camp)
‘I will go to university, graduate, and get a
job and make money. The uneducated girl
who married early and has kids is not the
same as the educated girl who works and
makes money. The educated one has
respect.’ (17-year-old Jordanian girl)
 Out of school adolescents—especially
girls-- frame their aspirations in terms
of a return to school.
 Refugee boys are often more guarded
in their aspirations.
 Many in-school adolescents have
professional aspirations.
 Boys’ aspirations are shaped by the lure
of the labour market.

Aspirations and reality are often tenuously linked
‘I want to study to defend people who are
facing injustice … Most of my friends have
suffered injustice and I want to defend them
… A lot of them suffered from early
marriage. They were married by force.’
(16-year-old Syrian girl, host community)
My dream was to finish my studies and then
to join the Jordanian army … Yes, I would still
like to! [laughs]. I can show you pictures on
my phone ….’
(Out of school married girl in ITS)
Insert pict of girl
A girl in a classroom, Jordan © Herwig / UNICEF 2016

Parents support higher education
Female caregivers have high educational aspirations—they do not want their children to struggle with
poverty.
• 96% want their child to attend secondary and 88% want their child to attend university
Jordanian parents have the highest aspirations, those in ITS the lowest.
• 99% of Jordanian parents want their child to attend secondary versus 86% of parents in ITS
Parents’ aspirations for boys are slightly higher than those for girls—even though in Jordan girls are
more educationally successful.
‘Getting married is better for the girls.’ (Palestinian mother)
Some female caregivers have high aspirations for girls—to help them avoid child marriage.
‘My mum was married twice, once at 14 and a second time at 18 years old and she encourages me not to
get married young and to finish my education – based on her own experience.’ (15-year-old girl, Azraq)

However, few can provide practical guidance
‘I ask them (the teachers) to send me the results. I do not allow them to work
during school. I do not want them to lose out on education for some money. I
give each of them a lira for each day they attend, so that they are encouraged to
go. They can follow their own goals.’ (Syrian father, ITS)
 Most refugee parents understand the
limits of their aspirations for their
children.
 Only a few detailed practical support.
‘I send my daughter to a tutoring centre to take private lessons in
chemistry and physics.’ (Jordanian mother)
‘I hope they can continue their studies but my
husband plans to let him quit school and
work. Because he is very poor.’
(Syrian mother, ITS)

Enrolment varies across adolescent groups
Younger adolescents more than older (94% vs 54%)
Jordanians more than Palestinians and Syrians (89% vs 86% vs 71%)
Host communities and camps more than ITS (78% and 78% vs 44%)
Older unmarried girls more than older boys (65% vs 54%)
Married girls least of all—9%
Of all GAGE adolescents, 76% were enrolled.

School enrolment
95
92
65
9
54
89
86
71
78
78
44
75
76
75
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Younger girls
Younger boys
Older unmarried girls
Older married girls
Older boys
Jordanians
Palestinians
Syrians
Host
Camp
ITS
Boys
Girls
Total

Barriers to schooling are varied
•‘When we came here there weren’t schools, so her education was delayed.’ (Father, Zaatari)
It took time to scale up education.
•‘I swear to God, her father married her, made her leave eighth grade….her first day of 16
years.’ (Mother, Zaatari)
Girls are removed due to restrictive gender norms.
•‘They even wanted me to pay rent for the whole household.’
•(15-year-old Syrian boy, host community)
Boys are pulled out by demands for their labour.
•‘Most boys leave in 7th grade because they are bored.’ (older Jordanian boy)
Boys leave school because of poor quality teaching.
•‘I went to school in Syria for two years and then stopped due to transport problems … Here, I
have never been.’ (19-year-old Syrian girl with mobility impairment)
Lack of transportation—especially for those with disabilities, girls, and those in remote areas.
 ‘I wish they would create a school for the drop-outs’. (older Syrian girl, host community)
Limited knowledge of available options.

Daily attendance is also varied
In the last two weeks:
 Older boys have missed 15% of days—
older girls 12%
 Jordanians have missed 11% of days—
refugees 14%
 Syrian boys have missed 16% of days—
Syrian girls 11%
 Students in ITS have missed 16% of days-
those in host communities and camps
13%
 Students in Azraq and Gaza camps have
missed 15% of days—those in Zaatari 9%
Adolescent boys at school © Herwig / UNICEF 2017
‘He wants to help his family. There is
a compromise. Work for 2 days. Stay
at school for 5 days.’ (Jordanian boy)

Educational quality is extremely poor
• 46% could read a short story
• 40% could subtract
Of all GAGE survey participants—both those in and out of school:
• 53% vs 39% could read a short story written at the second-grade level
• 44% vs 35% could perform subtraction with borrowing
Girls outperform boys:
• 42% vs 40% vs 22% could read a short story
• 44% vs 34% vs 28% could subtract
Jordanians score the highest and Palestinians the lowest—looking only at boys:
• 21% could read a short story (vs 25% in Azraq)
• 20% could subtract (vs 28% in Azraq)
Adolescents in ITS have the worst learning outcomes (though Azraq is not far behind):

Literacy and numeracy varies considerably
46
52
39
55
63
42
39
52
23
45
50
4040
44
35
52
57
44
39
48
28
37
40
34
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Read a story Subtract

Adolescents with disabilities face high barriers
 Our survey found similar enrolment—but identified other risks:
 Our qualitative work found accessibility limited and parents’ efforts key to enrolment.
‘My aspiration is to go to school but I
scarcely leave the building … It is hard for
my mother to carry me down the stairs … I
can only look at the other children out the
window.’
(13-year-old Syrian girl with
mobility impairment)
‘Even after the school confirmed that she
is capable, the Ministry of Education
refused to register her … So I sat on the
floor in the middle of the Ministry, and
told them I am not leaving!’
(Jordanian mother of two children with
disabilities)
Educational outcomes are lower:
 33% can read a story (versus 48%)
 33% can subtract (versus 41%)
Less likely to hold a leadership position at
school (30% vs 39%)

Violent punishment by teachers is endemic
There are significant differences
between groups:
• Younger teens are more at risk than
older teens (44% vs 35%)
• Boys are more at risk than girls (58%
vs 25%)
• Teens in host communities (43%) are
more at risk than camps (40%) and
ITS (28%)
Syrians report less corporal
punishment than Jordanians
(39% vs 45%)
Those living in Azraq report less
violence than those living in
Zaatari (31% vs 43%)
Overall, 41% of in-school adolescents have
experienced corporal punishment at school.
Under-reporting is significant.
Violence contributes to school drop out:
‘I dropped out of school because they hit us.’ (17-year-old Palestinian boy)

Bullying is common—with some adolescents at greater risk
‘They were calling him deaf, speechless,
and unable to walk. You know how are our
community and their perception about the
disabled... So, I wanted to move to another
house.’
(Syrian mother of an 11-year-old boy who
is deaf)
‘They beat us with the blade.’
(10-year-old Syrian boy, host community)
• Due to stigma, those with
disabilities are more at risk
than those without (53%
versus 40%).
• Younger adolescents are more
at risk than their older peers
(49% versus 33%).
• Boys are more at risk than girls
(46% versus 38%).
• Our qualitative work found
that Syrian boys are at the
highest risk of the most
extreme bullying.

Sexual harassment drives girls’ school drop-out
 Adolescent girls and their parents reported that nearly all girls are at risk of
sexual harassment—which is usually, but not always, verbal.
 Boys and young men stand around outside of girls’ schools as class is beginning
and ending—and follow girls to and from school.
 Girls are often blamed for harassment.
‘Our community is unmerciful … If
anyone violates any girls, the
community thinks that the girl likes to
do that, and she wanted this action.’
(15-year-oldS Syrian girl, Zarqa)
‘My father stopped my sister going
to school because of the boys.’
(younger girl, Zaatari)

Educational transitions are fraught
Restrictive gender norms
limit girls and child labour
limits boys.
‘Due to customs and
traditions, girls’ parents
don’t allow them to
continue education… In
sixth grade you have four
classes then they
gradually decrease until
they reach one class in the
tenth… ’
(Adolescent girl, Azraq)
Corporal punishment
is more severe.
‘It is indescribable
with 1000 degree
difference. The
school manager of
the primary school
was so kind. She
listened to us. Here if
you speak just a
word, she punishes
us.’ (16-year-old
Syrian girl)
Tertiary education is limited by poor
quality and financial and legal barriers.
 ‘Those tawjihi kids have problems. They
go up on the bridge to commit suicide
because of the exams.’ (religious leader)
 ‘In 2018, 267 students succeeded in
Tawjihi… only 5 entered
university…there are not enough
scholarships. (father, Zaatari)
 ‘There is discrimination between those
who hold the national number and
those who don’t.’
(Palestinian boy, host community)
Most adolescents and parents aspire to secondary and even tertiary education….but only 54% of
older adolescents are still enrolled.

Access to TVET is limited for refugees
 Refugee girls’ access is limited
by parents—but appreciated.
 Refugee boys see training as a
way to become skilled—versus
unskilled-- labourers, but are
poorly targeted.
‘I learned hairdressing at a vocational
training centre, Sanad, which is a project
from Denmark. It was very good, … If you
want to work, even if at home, it is
something sweet for you for yourself.’
‘What adolescents need in the camp is craft centres and vocational training. We
don’t have this here.’ (Palestinian father, Gaza Camp)
‘If you tell the young people in general that there will be training in carpentry or a
craft, you will find more than half of people in the camp come to you because of
that.’ (Makani facilitator, ITS)

Priority actions to expand access
Work with families to address enrolment barriers—including adapting
infrastructure and learning materials and providing transport and flexi-hours.
Better publicise existing catch-up and non-formal education programmes.
Expand and tailor education and training pathways for older
adolescents for whom a return to formal education is no longer
practical.
Scale up awareness-raising efforts with parents (and adolescent boys)
on the importance education.
Incentivise parents to invest in education with cash transfers.

Priority actions to improve learning outcomes
Address over-crowding and bolster teachers’ capacity via training and higher
salaries.
Partner with schools, especially boys’ schools, to help teachers adopt
child-friendly pedagogies.
Enforce zero-tolerance anti-bullying policies in schools and provide
security outside school buildings.
Over time, work to ensure that public schools are mixed in terms of
student nationality.
 Provide scholarships or loans for tertiary education for Syrian and
Palestinian refugees.

GAGE Jordan Baseline Findings:
Upskilling adolescents and the adults who care for them
Dr Nicola Jones and Taghreed Alabbadi
Amman, October 2019
Boy in school, Amman © Herwig UNICEF 2017

1
• What are life skills?
2
• GAGE findings
3
• Implications for policy and practice

adolescents DO NOT capture GAGE
research participants and consent was
gained from their guardians for the
photographs to be used for GAGE
communications purposes.
Life skills:
skills for life
11 year old Syrian girl in Makani ©Natalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Self-
awareness
Critical
thinking
Decision
making
Effective
communi-
cation
Coping
with
emotion
What are life skills?
Financial
literacy
Creative
thinking
Problem
Solving
Inter-
personal
relationship
Coping
with stress
WHO defines “Life skills" as psychosocial abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour
that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of
everyday life.
cognitive skills for
analyzing information
personal skills for
developing agency
inter-personal skills for
interacting with others
Empathy

Links to adolescent lives
Supports academic learning
Provides awareness about healthy living (diet, exercise, substance use)
Helps adolescents recognize violence, how to report it and how to
minimize risk of violence (both perpetrating and experiencing)
Helps adolescents develop emotional resilience and seek help in cases of
depression, anxiety, and ‘accidental’ and intentional self-harm
Fosters tolerance and social cohesion
Develops soft skills critical for employment and productivity

Where do adolescents learn life skills?

GAGE baseline
findings
15 year old Syrian girl living in ITS near Amman © Natalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Emotional
resilience
12 year old Pakistani boy living in ITS near Amman ©Natalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Adolescent experiences shape sense of self
 Some adolescents are remarkably confident and sure of themselves.
‘I always resolve my problems. I don’t leave them without being
solved. All my problems are not big.’
(16-year-old out of school Syrian girl living in ITS)
 Others have significant mental health challenges that keep them from engaging
with the world and their future in it.
‘When I got married my psychological state was completely destroyed. I
would feel like I want to die, I want to do suicide… it was like very bad, I
could not tell anyone.’
( 19-year-old Syrian girl)

Resilience is the norm, but emotional distress is common
Our survey included the General Health Questionnaire-12 and the Child and Youth Resilience
Measure-28 and found that most adolescents are not psychologically distressed and are
emotionally resilient:
However, one-third of adolescents had scores that demonstrated emotional
distress:
• Adolescents with disabilities are 71% more likely to exhibit distress
• Older girls are 11% more likely to be distressed than older boys
• Those in ITS (40%) are more distressed than those in host communities (33%)
and camps (29%)
• Nationality differences were relatively small
‘Depression… comes from very severe poverty… they
spend their time in the street or the girls at home
home in their room… and we know of suicide
attempts… families may try to hide it but it’s
happening’. (Social worker in Gaza Camp)
‘They are in a bad psychological
status and bear more than they
can handle.’
(Mother of a 12-year-old Syrian
boy)

Makani centres help adolescents develop emotional resilience
‘We learn if we face a problem,
we shouldn’t feel that is a
difficult problem… We should
face the problem.’
(10-year-old Syrian refugee
girl, Zaatari)
‘My son used to fight a lot with the other kids,
so there was a teacher that taught him and
helped him to change. This teacher told him that
he’s a hero…His personality became stronger
and more confident.’
(Syrian refugee mother, host community)
‘They raise our self-esteem.’
(Syrian refugee girl, 12 years,
host community)
‘You can write your problems on a paper and
make it fly away.’
(14-year-old Syrian refugee girl, Azraq)

Recognising and
minimizing the
risks of violence
A girl in Zaatari camp © Agnieszka Malachowska/ GAGE 2019

Adolescentrisksofviolence
Age- and gender-
specific risks of
violence
Violent
punishment
by teachers is
endemic Bullying is
common: boys,
adolescents
with disabilities
and younger
disabilities at
highest risk
Sexual
harassment is
widespread
and girls are
often blamedViolent
discipline is
also
commonly
used by
parents
Married girls are
esp vulnerable to
violence – IPV by
husbands, physical,
verbal and even
sexual violence by
in-laws, physical
violence by
brothers
41% of in-school adolescents have
experienced punishment at school
‘I dropped out of school because they hit us.’
(17-year-old Palestinian boy)
 Boys are more at risk than girls (46%
versus 38%).
 Due to stigma, those with disabilities
are more at risk than those without
(53% versus 40%).
 Younger adolescents are more at risk
than their older peers (49% vs 33%).
‘Our community is unmerciful … If
anyone violates any girls, the
community thinks that the girl likes to
do that, and she wanted this action.’
(15-year-old Syrian girl living in Zarqa)
Girls sometimes have no where to turn.
‘I tried to get out of the house (away from my
husband’s violence) many times and I went to
my family’s house but they always bring me
back.’

Silence and under-reporting of violence is the norm
 Syrians report less corporal punishment
than Jordanians (40% vs 45%)
 Those living in Azraq report less violence
than those living in Zaatari (31% vs 43%)
Under-reporting is significant.
Only 14% of victims had ever talked to
someone about violence at home.
Boys are far less likely to have spoken
to someone about violence at home
than girls (8% vs 20%).

Makani centres grow awareness and skills
 Makani centres learn to help children
recognize violence—including at
home.
 Makani centres help adolescents learn
how (and to whom) to report violence.
 Older girl participants are 30% more
likely to know where to seek support
for violence.
 Younger boy participants are 20%
more likely to know where to seek
support.
 Makani centres are helping
adolescents learn to protect
themselves-including from child
marriage and from intimate partner
violence.
‘We learned comfortable touches and
uncomfortable touches.’
(12-year-old girl living in an ITS)
‘We educate her that she is a child in the law
and … how to escape violence.’
(Key informant, Zaatari)
‘We teach them about … family protection.’
(Makani facilitator)
‘The police explained to the girls that if a girl
is sexually harassed, she should inform them’.
(Key informant, Zaatari)

Exercising
agency
UNICEF and NRC vocational training in Azraq camp © Herwig UNICEF 2017

Opportunities to make decisions at home are limited
Adolescents feel that they have a medium level of input into household
decision-making (based on an index in our survey).
Young people in camps perceived the most input—those in ITS the least.
There were no differences across nationalities.
‘I only befriend people that my parents know.’
(15-year-old Syrian boy)

Girls are disadvantaged in terms of decision-making
‘I took a photography course … They start telling her, “your
daughter will appear on TV and you will find her pictures
everywhere” … Then there was a painting exhibition in
Amman. I was willing to participate, but she didn’t let me.
It's all inappropriate according to her.’
(17-year-old girl, Zaatari Camp)
 Girls’ scores on the
index of decision-
making were lower
than boys’.
 Married girls have
especially limited
input into decisions.
 Boys (88%) and girls
(77%) agreed that
the community
expects men to
make final
household decisions.
‘I rarely get to decide anything … I wish someone would ask
me questions…’ (12-year-old Syrian girl, host community)
‘I can make no decisions on my own.’
(17-year-old married Jordanian)

Mobility restrictions shut doors for girls
The gender gap grows over
adolescence—older girls are 38%
less likely to leave home daily
and 54% less likely to leave the
community weekly (than older
boys).
The gender gap for refugee
populations is twice the gender
gap for Jordanians.
Across age groups, girls are 23% less likely
to leave home every day than boys.
A girl in a bus: ©Herwig/UNICEF 2018

Mobility restrictions shut doors for girls
Windowframe © Agnieszka Malachowska/ GAGE 2019
‘I don’t allow my daughters to get out of
home. They may look from the door for 5
minutes and then I ask them to close it.’
(Palestinian mother)
‘I am never alone. I have to be with my
husband or my mother-in-law.’
(Married 17-year-old Jordanian)

Digital inequalities among adolescents are stark
Many adolescents have access:
• 35% have a mobile phone for their
own use
• 51% have access to the internet
Girls have less access than boys:
• Girls are 43% less likely to have a phone
(26% versus 46%)
• Girls are 17% less likely to have internet
access (47% versus 56%)
• The gender gap is driven by refugees,
Jordanian young people have similar
access.
‘I wanted to buy a mobile phone with my own
money. But my father refused to let me buy it.’
(16-year-old girl, Zaatari camp)
Location and nationality differences:
• Only 24% of adolescents in ITS have a phone for
their own use.
• Only 25% of Palestinians have a phone.
• Jordanians are the most likely to have internet
access (69%).
Older married girls’ access varies—and can carry
added costs. Compared to their unmarried peers:
• 79% more likely to have a phone
• 13% less likely to have internet access
‘Once my husband’s nephew was showing me some
photos on his phone … My husband thought I used
the mobile phone to call guys. He was extremely
paranoid. So he beat me.’
(18-year-old divorced Syrian girl, host community)

The decisions that change adolescent lives are made by adults
 School leaving is generally driven by parents.
 Girls are almost totally excluded from decision-making about marriage.
 Demands on boys for their labour allow limited input.
‘I will marry her even she
does not accept because
you need to marry your
daughter with a man who
has principles and ethics. It
is difficult.’ (Syrian father,
host community)
‘(My parents) even wanted me to pay for the whole
house’. (15-year-old Syrian boy, host community)
‘The girls get married young…so their parents don’t allow
them to continue education.’ (Older girl, Azraq)
‘I hope they can continue their studies but my husband
plans to let him quit school and work. Because he is very
poor.’ (Mother of an adolescent boy, ITS)

Opportunities for participation at school are limited
 Few adolescents spoke of genuinely
participatory learning activities.
 Adolescents often felt that even
‘leadership venues’ were top-down.
‘My (radio) segment is about “did
you know?” and I have another
segment talking about Jordan. My
friend talks about “hadith sharif”
(the record of the words, actions,
and the silent approval of the
Islamic prophet Muhammad), and
my other friend is the presenter.’
(12-year-old girl, Azraq)
‘I was in it [the school parliament]
last year but not anymore. I feel it is
silly. It drives me crazy. If you are
part of the parliament you have to
make sure the girls are behaving at
school. You put them in line, make
sure they are quiet. Like that.’
(Younger Palestinian girl, Gaza camp)
‘Boys leave school in the 7th grade
because they felt bored.’
(Older Jordanian boy)

Community engagement is rare
Only 9% of adolescents had ever spoken with
others about a community problem.
 Jordanians were more likely to have done so
than refugees: 16% vs 7%
Only 5% of adolescents had ever taken
action with others about a community problem.
 Jordanians were the most likely and
Palestinians the least: 10% vs 5% vs 2%
Gender differences were driven by married girls’
near total exclusion from community
engagement—which is largely a result of the
fact that they are not allowed to leave home.
Children in Makani: ©Natalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Makani centres foster confidence and problem solving
‘We acted as role
models to these kids
… Yes, we made sure
we didn’t do anything
wrong there so that
the younger kids
won’t do the same …
Yes, we felt like we
were doing
something good …’
(17-year-old Syrian
boy, host community)
Makani participants are more likely than non-participants to:
 have talked with others about a community problem (44% for boys and 37% for girls)
 have taken action with others to solve a community problem (94% for boys and 58% for girls)
‘I took a course
about innovation.
We propose a
project and they
implement it in the
camp ... We found
a way to enable
every bicycle
owner to generate
electricity to store
electricity in a
battery.’
(Older boy, Azraq)
‘One of the projects
created by the girls … was
a distributor fan inside
kitchens [to remove
smells]. They made it from
simple materials and
presented their project in
front of community
members and leaders …
They comfortably received
and answered their
questions.’ (Makani
facilitator, Zaatari)
‘They teach us
how to be self-
confident and
how to deal
with people.’
(15-year-old
Palestinian girl)

Girls making crafts at an ECHO-funded youth center in Jordan's Zaatari camp © Peter Biro
Connecting
with others

Parents provide emotional support—but with limits
GAGE survey findings suggest
overall positive relationships with
caregivers, especially among
younger adolescents.
Older adolescent girls appeared
to have a significantly stronger
relationship with mothers than
do boys (26% higher).
Syrian adolescents—especially
those in ITS—are less able to talk
to their parents than Jordanians
and Palestinians.
‘Sometimes I see my son cries …he feels
ashamed in front his friends because he
can’t change his clothes… he is too
embarrassed to ask his father as he
knows there isn't the money and he
doesn't want to upset him.’
(Mother of 12-year-old boy, Zaatari)
‘I’d like to have a place to scream and cry
alone. … I don’t want my father to worry
about me.’ (18-year-old Palestinian girl)
‘Sometimes, he doesn’t tell me when boys
hit him. Recently, he told me when boys
hit him. I hit him to tell me what
happened with him.’ (Mother, Gaza camp)

Parents sometimes drive adolescents’ stress
‘He does not eat and remains
psychologically complicated. He says:
you have sent me to work and be sad.
I don’t want to work.’
(Syrian mother of adolescent boy, ITS)
‘When the father hits his son, the son
doesn’t tell anyone and he stays away
and he feels sad.’
(Younger boy, Azraq)
‘The girl is 13 years old and was pulled
out of school. She ran away from home
as she did not want to get married so
young. She begged her family but they
were not persuaded. … Now she stands
by the window and thinks of suicide.
She does not leave the house. She has a
psychological illness’.
(15-year-old married Syrian girl,
Amman)

Parents struggle to discuss sexuality with their adolescents
Many girls do not learn
about menstruation until
after menarche.
• ‘I did not tell her about
periods, this generation is
taught by themselves, they
teach each other. Aren’t
they working together?
They know more than me’
(Mother, ITS)
Boys receive no puberty
education.
• ‘I feel shy to tell him, but I
can tell my daughter
without shyness.’
(Mother, Zaatari)
• ‘I cannot talk to him until
he gets engaged.’
(Jordanian father)
Sex is not discussed.
• ‘I worked with some
children who were
pregnant and they found
that they’re pregnant in
their like sixth
month…because these
children they do not know
that sexual relations makes
women pregnant.’
(Key informant, host
community)

Parents need support to support their adolescents
Parenting styles vary:
‘My father trusts me, unlike other
families. He advises me, but he has ever
beaten me or prevented me from doing
anything.’
(16-year-old girl living in ITS)
Syrian parents are the most traumatized:
‘When we first came we were not seeking
any services or any help. We were all
suffering from the fear which was in
Syrian from the war and shelling at the
time. We needed to calm down.’
(Syrian father, Zaatari Camp)
Parenting education classes can help:
‘We created a parental skills programme
to help parents know how to deal with
their children concerning basic
challenges.’
(Social worker in Azraq camp)
48% of the mothers of older GAGE adolescents have trauma scores that suggest PTSD
Syrian parents have limited education:
‘The Syrians came from the rural side of
Syria…they didn’t have education, all their
life was based on work.’
(Key informant, ITS).

Not all adolescents have friends
 Most (71%) adolescents have a
friend they trust
 Those in ITS (77%) are the most
likely to have a trusted friend (vs
70%)
 Palestinians (62%) are less likely to
have a trusted friend (vs 73%)
 Palestinian girls are especially
disadvantaged (59% vs 65% for
Palestinian boys)
‘Then the girl when she gets married … she
does not have any more relationships with
her friends.’
(18-year-old Palestinian girl)
 Older married girls are 17% less likely to
have a trusted friend than their
unmarried peers.
‘I can only look at the other children out the window.’
(13-year-old Syrian girl with mobility impairment)
 Adolescents with disabilities are 10% less
likely to have a trusted friend than those
without.

Makani centres grow inter-personal relationships
Centres provide
adolescents with a
safe space to
interact with each
other.
‘Everyone in the
centre is smiling …
because they have
the opportunity to
leave home and see
one another.’
(16-year-old girl, ITS)
Centres connect
adolescents with
caring adults
‘You can talk to her
if you have any
problem and she
helps you to solve
it.’
(Younger girl,
Zaatari)
Centres foster social
cohesion
‘There was a course I
participated in…It
was mixed between
Syrian and Jordanian
girls…I used to have
some prejudice but
then it all turned out
to be wrong.’
(17-year-old Syrian
girl)
Centres strengthen
parent-child
relationships
‘Girls … feel some
positive change in
their relations with
the family …after
their and their
parents' participation
in such activities.’
(Makani facilitator)

A girl in an innovation lab in Zaatari ©Herwig/UNICEF 2018
Skills for
productivity
and
employability

Adolescents’ occupational aspirations are variable
 73% of adolescents aspire to have a professional career.
‘I want to become a pharmacist like my
cousin.’
(11-year-old Syrian girl, ITS in Amman)
‘I want to study at university, to study law,
and to come back to Syria and become an
advocate.’
(15-year-old Syrian boy, Azraq camp)
 Refugee boys—especially Palestinians—often have more pragmatic aspirations.
‘I have an ambition to have my own
workshop and business – for car mechanics…
Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to do
this and have my own business.’
(15 year old Syrian boy, Amman)
‘I wanted to learn a certain profession but
the financial situation does not allow me to
learn it. I liked the profession of car colour
mixing.’
(17-year-old out of school boy, Gaza Camp)

Some adolescents have high aspirations
‘I want to become a pharmacist like my cousin’
(11-year-old Syrian girl, ITS in Amman)
‘I want to study at university, to study law, and to
come back to Syria and become an advocate.’
(15-year-old Syrian boy, Azraq camp)
‘For me, my only idea is that a qualification is a
woman’s or girl’s weapon. I will study, work hard,
and succeed. I will go to university, graduate, and
get a job and make money, of course. (...) The
uneducated girl who marries early and has kids is
not the same as the educated girl who works and
makes money….’
(17-year-old Jordanian girl from Mafraq)
 82% of adolescents would like to
attend secondary school
 70% would like to attend university
 73% would like to have a
professional career
 Jordanians have the highest
aspirations.
 Younger teens are aiming higher
than older.
 Girls are aiming higher than boys.

Others are quite pragmatic
‘I liked the profession of car colour mixing... I liked
it as a hobby but if I have the chance to work in this
field I would learn it fast.’
(17-year-old out of school boy, Gaza Camp)
‘I have an ambition to have my own workshop and business – for car mechanics… Since I was
little, I’ve always wanted to do this and have my own business.’ (15-year-old Syrian boy, Amman)
‘In the future I would like to become a chef… if I told
anyone at home about my dream they would laugh at
me and think I’m not serious.’
(15-year-old girl from Gaza Camp)
‘I do not want to work on farms. I want a better job, a relaxing
one… a good and comforting job’. (17-year-old boy ITS)
 10% of adolescents, mostly boys,
wish to become skilled labourers
 8% of adolescents, all girls, wish to
become homemakers
 4% of adolescents wish to work retail
 Only 67% of Palestinian boys would
like to attend secondary school.
 Only 48% of Palestinian boys would
like to attend university.

Vocational training
 In line with other research, we found
Jordanians are rarely interested in TVET—as
they prefer public sector employment.
 There are few TVET opportunities for refugee
boys—but high interest.
 Older girls’ access is restricted by their parents.
UNICEF and NRC vocational training in Zaatari camp:
©Herwig/ UNICEF/ 2017
‘What adolescents need in the camp is craft centres
and vocational training. We don’t have this here.’
(father, Gaza camp)
‘It was very good, I hope it will be repeated. (...) If
you want to work, even if at home, it is something
good for you, for yourself.’
(13-year-old Syrian girl, Amman)

A girl in an innovation lab in Azaraq ©Herwig/UNICEF 2018
Priority
actions

Implications for policy and practice
Expand investments in community-based safe spaces where
adolescents can develop confidence and practice decision-making
under the mentorship of caring adults.
Scale up school- and community-based programming, including
through participatory classroom activities, to develop adolescents’
cognitive, personal and interpersonal skills.
Scale up parenting classes and parent support groups, including for
fathers, to develop parents’ capacities for supporting their
adolescents—including talking to their adolescents about sexuality.

Implications for policy and practice
Provide tailored continuing education classes to teachers and other
adolescent service providers to help them learn how to support
adolescent development.
Promote opportunities for adolescents vulnerable to social
isolation, including girls and those with disabilities, to have greater
access to internet connectivity.
Promote national efforts to expand psychosocial support services.

GAGE Jordan Key Baseline Findings:
Inclusive services for adolescents with disabilities
©
Amman, October 2019
Wafa Amayreh and Kifah Banioweda
Disabled boy in Jordan © C Herwig / UNICEF 2019

1
• Disability: Leave no one behind
2
• GAGE findings regarding adolescents with disabilities
3
• Priority actions

adolescents DO NOT capture GAGE research
participants and consent was gained from
their guardians for the photographs to be
used for GAGE communications purposes.
Disability: leave
no one behind
10-year-old girl with physical disability, Marfraq © Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Conceptualisingdisability
Disability is caused by
Physical
Mental
Sensory
IMPAIRMENT
INDIVIDUAL
Is impaired Is the problem
Focus of the medical
profession
‘Cure’
Alleviate the
effect
IMPAIRMENT
PROBLEMS PROBLEMS
TRADITIONAL VIEW
The medical model of disability

Conceptualisingdisability
ENVIROMENT
Buildings
Inaccessible
Languages
SOCIETY
ORGANISATIONS
Inflexible
Procedures
BARRIERS BARRIERS
SOCIAL ‘BARRIERS’
Services
Communication
Practices
ATTITUDES
Prejudice
Discrimination Stereotyping
The social model of disability

Incidence estimates vary—as do definitions
Washington Group Questions
1. Do you have difficulty seeing, even if wearing
glasses?
2. Do you have difficulty hearing, even if using a
hearing aid?
3. Do you have difficulty walking or climbing
steps?
4. Do you have difficulty remembering or
concentrating?
5. Do you have difficulty (with self-care such as)
washing all over or dressing?
6. Using your usual (customary) language, do
you have difficulty communicating – for
example, understanding or being understood?
The population of children with
disabilities is large—we do not know
how large:
• Globally, it is estimated that over 5%
of children and adolescents have a
disability.
• This is between 93 and 150 million
young people.
Four-fifths of children with disabilities
live in the Global South.

Disability and poverty
 80% of children and adolescents with
disabilities live below the poverty line.
 They are disproportionally likely to be
poor as children.
 They are disproportionally likely to be
poor as adults.
Disability and the cycle of poverty

The intersecting impacts of disability
 Globally, one-third of all out of school children have a disability.
Young people with disabilities are up to 19 times more likely to have
been seriously ill in the last year.
Adolescents with disabilities are 3-4 times more likely to experience
violence than their peers without disabilities.
In low-income-countries, up to 90% of people with disabilities are
unemployed.

The Sustainable Development Goals and disability
Guaranteeing
equal and
accessible
education by
building
inclusive
learning
environments
and providing
the needed
assistance for
persons with
disabilities.
Promoting
inclusive
economic
growth, full and
productive
employment
allowing
persons with
disabilities to
fully access the
job market.
Emphasizing the
social, economic
and political
inclusion of
persons with
disabilities.
Underlining the
importance of
data collection
and monitoring
of the SDGs,
emphasis on
disability
disaggregated
data.
Creating accessible
cities and water
resources,
affordable,
accessible and
sustainable
transport systems,
providing universal
access to safe,
inclusive,
accessible and
green public
spaces.
541 2 3

The centrality of stigma and discrimination
Ignorance:
the problem of
knowledge
Prejudice:
the problem of
attitudes
Discrimination:
the problem of
behavior

GAGE longitudinal research sample
85
Jordan 4000 Jordan 220 Jordan 50

Capturing diversity and the most vulnerable
Jordan
3000
Jordan
400
Jordan
200
Jordan
4000

Disability in Jordan
Estimates of incidence are highly varied:
• The official disability incidence rate—across age groups but not including
refugees—is 13% (Thompson, 2018).
• Of Syrian refugees aged 5-17 living in Jordan, 15% of girls and 18% of
boys were reported to have a disability (HI, 2018).
Drivers are diverse:
• Jordan has high rates of consanguineous marriage—
28% in 2018 (DOS and ICF, 2019)—which increases the
odds of genetic disabilities.
• Conflict related injuries are common in the Syrian
refugee population

GAGE findings
regarding
adolescents
with disabilities
Adolescent with physical disability in Mafraq © Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

Educational barriers are high
On a national level, those with disabilities are less likely to attend school.
• Of those age 15-19, nearly 100% of those without disabilities have ever attended
school—versus only 89% of those with disabilities (UNESCO, 2013).
• Enrolment rates for Syrian refugee children with disabilities were estimated to be less
than 50% in 2015 (Thompson, 2018).
Our survey found similar enrolment—but identified other risks:
Educational aspirations are lower:
 77% want secondary school (versus 83%)
66% want university (versus 71%)
Educational outcomes are lower:
 33% can read a story (versus 48%)
 33% can subtract (versus 41%)
Less likely to hold a
leadership position at school
(30% vs 39%)

Stigma shapes aspirations, access, and outcomes
‘No matter how beautiful, smart , and a good person
she is, the community still sees her as a disabled
person.’ (Mother of a 15-year-old Jordanian girl with a
hearing disability, host community)
Many adolescents have high
aspirations—but there are limits
to how high they can dream:
‘Some families hide [such children]… especially if they
suffer from mental disabilities such as autism and
Down syndrome, because the community considers
them as a crazy person.’ (Makani facilitator, Zaatari)
Families hide their children with
disabilities at home to protect
family reputation.
‘I registered him in the science branch, but they put him in
the art branch.’ (Mother of a 13-year-old Syrian boy with
a physical disability, host community)
Some teachers and
administrators see adolescents
with disabilities as less capable.

‘My aspiration is to go
to school but I scarcely
leave the building … It is
hard for my mother to
carry me down the
stairs … I can only look
at the other children
out the window.’
(13-year-old Syrian girl
with mobility
impairment)
‘Even after the school
confirmed that she is
capable, the officials
refused to register her
… So I sat on the floor in
the middle of the
Ministry, and told them
I am not leaving!’
(Jordanian mother of
two children with
disabilities)
‘I went to school in Syria
for two years and then
stopped due to
transport problems …
Here, I have never been
…I know only how to
write my name.’
(19-year-old Syrian girl
with mobility
impairment, host
community)
Refugees are disadvantaged—parents are key

Stress elevates the risk of violence at home
Adolescents with disabilities were 68% more likely to report witnessing violence at
home than their peers without disabilities.
Mothers of adolescents with disabilities were 35% more likely to admit using
violent physical discipline on their child in the last month.
Mothers of adolescents with disabilities were 56% more likely to admit severely
beating their child in the last month.
Mothers of adolescents with disabilities are 53% more likely to have trauma scores
suggestive of PTSD.
‘Sometimes, he doesn’t tell me when boys hit him. Recently, he tell me when
boys hit him. hit him to tell me what happened with him.’
(Mother of a 10-year-old boy with a physical and visual disability, Gaza camp)

Stigma drives high rates of bullying
‘And the children also eat his food and
take his money. I always see him standing
sad and watching the boys while they are
playing.’ Even the mothers call him deaf.
People are treating with him in difficult
way.’
(Assistant of an 11-year-old Syrian boy
with a hearing disability, host community)
‘I don't like to go to school because they say I
can't hear.’ (10-year-old, Syrian boy with
hearing impairment, host community)
 Adolescents with disabilities are 32%
more likely to have experienced
bullying in the last month (53% versus
41%).
 Adolescents with disabilities are 16%
less likely to feel safe traveling to and
from school (73% versus 87%)

Health and nutrition are compromised—services are limited
Adolescents with disabilities are 78% more
likely to report being hungry in the last
month (28% versus 16%)
Access to medical care is limited:
‘There was a child who is 13 years old. She was
disabled and weak. She was fine when she was
born. We contacted some NGOs and told them
about her story. Her situation is very hard. They
said they will visit her. And they did visit her after
a month. And they met her, and they did nothing
so far. I am depressed for her. ‘
(Makani facilitator, ITS)
Adolescents with disabilities are more at risk of illness and injury:
 23% less likely to report good health (64% versus 84%)
 58% more likely to report an injury in the last month (11% versus 7%)
 81% more likely to have had a serious illness or accident in the last year (23% versus 13%)
Adolescents with disabilities are 9% less
likely to have a source of information
about puberty (78% versus 86%)

Emotional distress is extremely common
Our survey included the General Health Questionnaire-12 and found
that most adolescents are emotionally resilient.
However, of adolescents with
disabilities—51% had scores that
suggest emotional distress.
Of adolescents without disabilities—30% had
scores that suggest emotional distress.

Social isolation drives distress
Adolescents with disabilities are 10% less likely to have a trusted friend (64%
versus 72%).
Adolescents with disabilities are 17% less likely to have a mobile phone for
their own use (30% versus 36%).
Adolescents with disabilities are 16% less likely to have ever used the internet
(44% versus 52%).
Adolescents with disabilities report 15% lower social cohesion.
Adolescents with disabilities are more isolated—in both the real and virtual worlds–
than their peers.

Some groups of adolescents are especially isolated
• ‘
• ‘I allow only for boys, while I prevent the girls to go out; all of them stay at home with me.’
(mother of a 13-year-old with a hearing disability, Gaza camp)
• ‘We [she and her sister who is also blind] have never been to school in Jordan … Last year we
went to a Qur’anic class and got the Qur’an in braille. We were so happy! But it’s now been a
year since we even left the apartment … The life for girls who are blind is unimaginably
restrictive!’ (19-year-old Syrian girl, with a visual disability)
• ‘It’s banned for girls to have mobile phones…You know, we’re not like the boys.’
(13-year-old Syrian girl with a visual disability, ITS)
Girls
•‘Those with mental disability are integrated to a lesser extent in the community.’
(older Syrian boy, Azraq)
Adolescents with intellectual impairments
• ‘There is not anyone like me.’ (19 year old Syrian girl with a visual disability, ITS)
Adolescents with severe disabilities

Limited parental support drives distress
‘I have a girl with disability and she causes stress to me.’
(Father, Azraq)
Adolescents with disabilities reported more limited communication with their parents.
For example:
• They are 12% less likely to talk to their fathers about work.
• They are 14% less likely to talk to their mothers about bullying.
Parents need support so that they can provide
support.
Adolescents with disabilities reported more limited household decision-
making.
‘I rarely get to decide anything … I wish someone would ask
me questions…’ (12-year-old Syrian girl with cerebral palsy)
‘I know their situation, so I don’t pressure them.’
(12-year-old Syrian girl with visual disability, ITS)

Inclusive programming is transformative—but rare
‘Typically I sit here in front of the TV screen
and seldom leave this apartment … But last
year for three months a centre affiliated with
Doctors Without Borders used to come and
take me once a week to play sport … There
was everything: balls, movements, sport and
such … I enjoyed it a lot! Even my mood got
better!’
(12-year-old Syrian girl with cerebral palsy)
‘I registered all three of my children [ with
Makani] but they only called back about
places for my two daughters without
disabilities, not my daughter in the
wheelchair. I asked about her again but they
said there were no classes suited to her.’
(Mother of a girl with a mobility impairment)
‘I learn how to invent and make new creations
… I even learn Zumba.’
(12-year-old, Syrian, girl with muscular
atrophy)
‘Children with disabilities are not excluded, but
are also not proactively engaged.’
(Makani facilitator, host community)

Social protection is critical to making ends meet
‘We get the food coupon each month. My
mother buys rice, sugar, flour, margarine, oil and
tea… but for me nougat and juice are the most
important.’
(17-year-old Syrian girl, living in ITS near Amman)
 Many different actors are delivering social
protection programmes in Jordan—including the
GoJ, UNHCR, UNWRA, UNICEF, WFP, and Zakat
 Across nationalities, social protection
beneficiaries are grateful for help
‘We have the income that comes from the
national aid and there is no income from
anywhere else.’ (Father, Jordanian, Mafraq)
10-year-old boy with his father in ITS near Amman © Nathalie Bertrams/
GAGE 2019

Social protection is insufficient to meet need
‘We have the card and buy food. For example, sugar, rice, cleaning products
and other materials. When my children complain they are hungry we make a
meal for them. Sometimes potatoes, rice, zaatar and olive oil. But it’s never
enough.’ (Mother, Syrian, Irbid)
 The value of vouchers and cash transfers is too small—especially for households already
stretched by disability
‘My daughters are suffering, and I can’t buy lens for them! We receive
food parcels and other aid, but we have to buy other thing.’
(Mother of an 12 year old Syrian girl with visual disability, ITS)
 There is a dire need for assistance with health care costs—including for transport to and
from care, assistive devices, and disposables.
‘If someone can help us get her diapers, that would be good. Every ten
days she needs a new pack of diapers. Every Fridays, she needs 10 JD.’
(18 year old Syrian girl with visual disability, ITS)

Policy and programming priorities
Scale up inclusive education and training—and pair with door-to-door transportation.
Ensure that young people with disabilities are proactively included in social and
recreational opportunities—including volunteer initiatives.
Work with parents to support their adolescents with disabilities by providing them
with information and opportunities to reduce their own stress levels, including
social protection, parental support groups and respite care
Invest in community awareness raising aimed at reducing the stigma that surrounds
disability.
Ensure that social protection programmes take account of disability-related costs—and
pair with free health care for those with disabilities.

Thanks is due to the following:
 IRCKHF
 NCFA
 UNICEF Jordan
 Mindset
 Independent researchers
 DFID
 UNHCR

Contact Us
Dr Nicola Jones, GAGE Director
n.jones@odi.org.uk
Agnieszka Malachowska,
MENA Programme Manager
a.malachowska@odi.org.uk
www.gage.odi.org
@GAGE_programme
GenderandAdolescence
About GAGE:
 Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence
(GAGE) is a nine-year (2015-2024) mixed-
methods longitudinal research programme
focused on what works to support adolescent
girls’ and boys’ capabilities in the second
decade of life and beyond.
 We are following the lives of 18,000
adolescents in six focal countries in Africa,
Asia and the Middle East.

Leave No One Behind agenda: Jordan baseline findings

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