The country profile component of the Manara project is a rigorous and exhaustive report on the status of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It aims to be a resource for identifying gaps and challenges on the status of the implementation of the Convention;; to highlight the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on specific matters;; and to identify commendable practices implemented by the State;; civil society and the international community in addressing these issues. The information was collected by exhaustive literature review and followed by field research involving a series of interviews with identified stakeholders;; government ministries and institutions;; local and INGOs;; academics;; unions and professional associations;; media;; religious authorities and United Nations agencies were contacted and interviewed. The structure of the study is based on the following themes: human rights;; children’s rights;; child labor and violence against children

The report aims to address the particular needs and cultural dynamics of Syrian refugees residing in Jordan;; especially with regards gender-based violence and child protection issues. It presents a comprehensive range of perspectives from urban Syrian refugees and local Jordanian decision makers in government;; community-based organizations and the religious and education sectors. The assessment of this report is based on data collected through three methodologies including questionnaire survey to refugees outside the Za’atari refugee camp;; focus group discussions in regions across Jordan and in-depth interviews. Key findings of the report are 1. The rates of early marriage are high;; 2. A significant percentage of children contribute to the household’s income and 3. Restrictions on women and girls’ mobility constrain their participation in social and economic activities and access to basic services. The report recommends measures to prevent acts of sexual exploitation and abuse and ensure the needs of the most vulnerable members of the Syrian refugee population in the cities.

The second phase of the Program Education Reform for the Knowledge Economy Program (ERfKE II) continues to build on the achievements of the first phase and follow the same implementation arrangements that have proven to be successful in (ERfKE I);; and in the same time;; focuses on schools as the locus of change as well as on the need to enhance capacity building at the central and field levels. The development objective of (ERfKE II) is to provide students enrolled in pre-tertiary education institutions in Jordan with increased levels of skills to participate in knowledge economy. Also the Mid-Term review highlighted the concrete progress achieved by (ERfKE II) in several key areas related to policy development;; quality of education interventions and school construction;; and identified the key issues as a summary of the overall progress that will be tackled and addressed during the remaining stage of implementation.