Tested at the Margins: The contingent rights of displaced Iraqi children in Jordan

This report argues that Iraqi children in Jordan lack the institutional support necessary to guarantee them the fundamental needs for safety and wellbeing, as a result of their non-citizen status. In addition, humanitarian/development actors on site in Jordan are not currently capable of ensuring that the rights of displaced Iraqi children are realized in a systemic and sustained manner. The findings are based on primary research conducted from January to March 2014, which involved interviews with 47 people, and secondary research involving other studies, news articles, and agency reports.

Besides reviewing the rights situation of Iraqi children on issues such as discrimination, access to services, and family life, this report provides a review of the agents involved: the government of Jordan, UN Agencies and INGOs, western donors, and the government of Iraq. Conclusions are made in the form of questions for the future of Iraqi children in Jordan.