The report was published from the World Health Organization/ United Nations Children’s Fund (WHO/UNICEF)’s pilot project to test a method for the rapid assessment of the quality of drinking-water in six countries;; including Jordan;; China;; Ethiopia;; Nicaragua;; Nigeria and Tajikistan. This assessment report aims to develop a tool that would support WHO/UNICEF’s joint program in strengthening the monitoring efforts of the global access to safe drinking water. The analysis of the report is based on the water samples and statistical data that were collected from 1600 drinking water supply sites in 67 clusters. The report finds that drinking water quality is generally high in the distribution network of Jordan and national standards for bacteria complies with the WHO guideline values. It also identifies the sanitary risk factors for Jordanian water supplies including the presence of sewer lines;; old pipes and failure to properly maintain household storage tanks.
The report assesses the practical challenges of education and schooling for the Syrian children in refugee camps in Jordan;; Lebanon and Egypt as the Syrian Crisis prolongs. It argues that ensuring the continued access to learning is an essential platform for protection;; social stabilization and economic recovery that the international community should not ignore. The report also includes important figures and statistics revealing the alarming situation of education and school. Some of the key statistics are the host-country school-age children compared to Syrian school-age children;; Syrian children enrolled in public schools in Lebanon and Jordan and school-age Syrian refugee children in and out of school by countries such as Iraq;; Egypt;; Turkey;; Jordan and Lebanon. The report concludes with four key recommendations to be undertaken by regional governments and their international partners so that the fundamental right to quality education can be guaranteed to the Syrian children.
Defining the goal as improved prosperity;; accountability and equality for a stable;; democratic Jordan;; the strategy report highlights a long-standing partnership between Jordan and the United States. Amidst a number of challenges;; Jordan continues to play a strategic ally in the region and therefore;; the report stresses the importance of assisting Jordan in carrying out its stated commitment to broad-based political and economic reforms. The three development objectives are 1. Broad-based;; inclusive economic development accelerated;; 2. Democratic accountability strengthened;; and 3. Essential services to the public improved;; with a special development objective of gender equality and female empowerment enhanced. According to the report;; the key theme of the strategy is complementing support for Jordanian-led structural reform with grassroots activities of more visible and more directly “felt” people-level impact. The development objectives find specific areas of focus that need the USAID investments and support.