Securing economic livelihoods for Syrian refugees: the case for a human rights-based approach to the Jordan Compact

Abstract

ABSTRACT Refugees in protracted displacement are increasingly viewed as subjects of economic development rather than financial burdens on host countries. A new policy model adopted through the Jordan Compact in 2016 positions Syrian refugees in Jordan as a development opportunity, rather than the objects of a resource-strained humanitarian assistance regime. Departing from the traditional reliance on state donors, the Jordan Compact seeks to capitalise on market-based opportunities to integrate Syrian refugees into the formal labour market, promoting self-sufficient livelihoods as well as national economic growth. This paper examines secondary data to critique the Jordan Compact’s potential to secure refugee livelihoods and labour rights. Through an analysis of the economic lives of Syrian refugees grounded in the ‘refugee economies’ theoretical framework, a human rights-based approach is explored as a means of helping the Jordan Compact to achieve its objectives. It is posited that a focus on rights can help to overcome the constraints undermining the policy’s success, building on literature promoting the inclusion of human rights principles in development and economic policy. It is also suggested that analyses of refugees’ economic lives should consider wider socio-cultural factors, given their important bearing on livelihoods.