The Future of Refugee Livelihoods Programming
Lessons From the Jordan Compact
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19214734 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Katharina Lenner (0000-0002-9642-2413, University of Bath), Lou Turner (0000-0002-9116-6019, Newcastle University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 64 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Migration (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0020-7985 • E-ISSN: 1468-2435 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/imig.70171 |
| OpenAlex | W7161230635 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 10 |
Livelihoods have been a central element of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. This was especially the case in Jordan, with the Jordan Compact promising hundreds of thousands of jobs for Syrians, and development opportunities for their hosts. In this commentary, we highlight three broader lessons from the scheme, the results of which were disappointing for many Syrians. Livelihoods interventions must ensure that indicators of success are linked to tangible changes in refugees' lives; that refugees' integration into national systems is done cautiously, in ways adapted to their circumstances and priorities; and that much more attention is paid to the gendered, racialised and classed nature of labour market dynamics. In order to achieve these goals, refugees' experiences and aspirations as labour market participants, and their own assessments of whether and how their lives have improved, must be at the heart of future programme design, implementation and evaluation
Element (criminal law) · Livelihood · Order (exchange) · Psychological intervention · Refugee · Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees · Middle East Politics and Society · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare
Making Refugees Work? The Politics of Integrating Syrian Refugees into the Labor Market in Jordan
The Political Economy of Nationality-Based Labor Inclusion Strategies
The space between us
The Politics of Labeling Refugee Men as “Vulnerable”
Social Security Regimes, Global Estimates, and Good Practices
Refugees can be entrepreneurs too!’ Humanitarianism, race, and the marketing of Syrian refugees
Sex, care and the working body
Labor control regimes and worker resistance in global supply chains
The Jordan Compact, Refugee Labour and the Limits of Indicator-oriented Formalization
Niches, Labour Market Segregation, Ethnicity and Gender
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |