Study says 93% of surveyed Syrian refugees in Mafraq have legal issues

AMMAN — The Adaleh Centre for Human Rights Studies on Sunday released a study on Syrian refugees’ access to justice in Jordan, which said that around 93 per cent of the surveyed Syrian refugees in Mafraq Governorate were in conflict with the law.

Released under the patronage of Spain’s Ambassador to Jordan Aránzazu Bañón Dávalos and funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, the study also found that 37.5 per cent of those in conflict with the law were not in the process of solving their legal issues.

Such legal conflicts arise from the inconsistencies between Syrian and Jordanian legislation, a lack of awareness among refugees and the high financial costs of legal services, in addition to prioritising more pressing issues over legal issues, according to a joint statement sent to The Jordan Times.

“Our country is deeply committed to protection, and this project is all about protecting the rights of refugees with a strong focus on vulnerable segments, especially women,” the ambassador said during the release ceremony. 

The study also revealed that 58 per cent of the legal issues faced by refugees were civil and administrative related, such as labour issues, tenants and housing, birth certificates in addition to issues with the UNHCR, Adaleh Executive President Asem Rababa said in the statement. 

 Rababa added that 26.1 per cent of the cases were related to the Personal Status Law and included cases of divorce, marriage documentation, child custody and nafaqa (alimony).

On the other hand, criminal issues faced by refugees accounted for the lowest number of cases at 15 per cent, according to the study. 

The findings indicated the need to ensure prompt access to legal information by Syrian refugees, the statement said, adding that offering legal consultations would also help protect refugees from fraud or exploitation.

The study included a list of recommendations for various stakeholders including policymakers, civil society organisations, donors, the Jordanian Bar Association and the UNHCR, the statement concluded.