In Jordan, a World Bank-supported initiative, the Program for Results (P4R), has been working to increase formal employment opportunities for both Syrians and Jordanians. The program focuses on improving regulations and employment conditions across various sectors, such as the garment industry and agriculture. This effort has also encouraged private sector entrepreneurship and significantly boosted business creation.
Omar Fanek, Director of the Reform Secretariat at Jordan's Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, emphasized the importance of this program. He stated that it "is a recognition by the international community that Jordan is doing a global public good by hosting Syrian refugees and expanding their access to work."
A Syrian refugee named Hraki shared his experience with The Jordan Times in June 2019. "When I came to Jordan with my family in 2013, I worked in different professions, but mainly in supermarkets," he said. Hraki mentioned that initially he worked illegally like many other refugees but later obtained a work permit which made him feel safe while looking for jobs.
The ongoing Syria crisis remains one of the largest refugee crises globally, affecting over 6.8 million Syrians in countries like Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. In Jordan alone, nearly 1.3 million Syrians reside mostly in urban areas where they use existing social infrastructure.
The Economic Opportunities PforR was launched in 2016 as part of an agreement known as the Jordan Compact. It provides support for Jordan as a host country for numerous Syrian refugees through concessional financing from multiple partners.
The project has introduced several measures aimed at enhancing flexibility in the labor market for Syrian refugees while promoting economic opportunities for all residents. It also emphasizes fostering women's economic participation.
A significant component of this initiative is facilitating access to labor markets through work permits issued free of charge to Syrian refugees. The number of these permits increased from 45,000 in 2019 to over 90,000 by 2023.
Financial inclusion efforts have also been part of this project’s focus area. By January 2024, there were nearly three million e-wallets and basic bank accounts established among Jordanians and Syrians alike—a notable rise from previous years' figures.
Efforts have been made toward improving women’s economic opportunities through campaigns executed by organizations such as the Jordan National Commission for Women.
Furthermore, improvements within regulatory frameworks contributed significantly towards achieving positive results underlined by compliance dashboards showing progress within sectors like garment exports regarding labor standards adherence.
This initiative reflects collaboration between various governmental entities spearheaded by institutions such as MoPIC alongside partnerships involving United Nations agencies plus donors engaged via Humanitarian-Development Partners Group dedicated specifically towards addressing refugee responses throughout regions including Jordan itself.