Beyond the camps: Impact of the Syrian refugee influx on Jordanian host communities

With a projected 80% of the Syrian refugees living outside camps by the end of 2014, the increasing pressure on limited resources in the ‘poverty pockets’ of northern Jordan is likely to heighten tensions between host communities and refugees if programs are not implemented to solve some of the immediate needs across sectors. One priority concern expressed by many participants in the northern regions is a dramatic increase in the cost of basic commodities such as food, rent, clothing and fuel. This is perceived as a direct consequence of the Syrian refugee crisis. Some families reported finding it difficult to provide their children with sufficient meals. For poor households already struggling to survive, these increases in the cost of living have had severe consequences, especially for different forms of female headed households.