Climate change exacerbates the situation for people and agriculture.
“My children have to go to the neighbours’ house on most of the days to use the toilet. My 13-year-old daughter feels very embarrassed when she goes there”, says Tayba Abkar, a 32-year-old Sudanese refugee and a mother of four. Her family struggles with water scarcity.
Tayba is not an exception. Much like Jordanians, many refugees in Jordan find the limited availability of water very challenging. As many refugees are among the poorest people in Jordan, water scarcity hits them even worse.
Jordan, a country with large areas of desert, has long been a water scarce country. Since its water supply heavily relies on rainfall, climate change is exacerbating its water scarcity as it has significantly affected precipitation levels, making water an even more limited commodity. A World Bank report highlights a notable decline in rainfall from 1901 to 2020.
This climate change related development has reduced the country’s water resources along with population growth. And things are getting worse: according to the National Water Strategy 2023 – 2040 a further 15 per cent decline in freshwater resources is anticipated by 2040.
“One of my daughters often faces health issues because she does not use the bathroom when she needs to, and showering became a luxury for us”, Tayba says.
Samah, Tayba’s youngest daughter, cherishes the flow one precious drop at a time. © UNHCR/Batool Ghaith
In 2000, available water resources allowed access to 180 cubic meters (or 180,000 liters) per person per year in Jordan, this amount dropped to 135 cubic meters (or 135,000 liters) in 2005. Syrian refugees in Zaatari Camp where ground water levels are sinking, only have access to some 45 liters per person per day, and in Azraq Camp to about 55 liters.
Currently, the population in Jordan has 61 cubic meters of renewable fresh water available per capita per year, which is far less than the 500 cubic meters internationally recognized as the absolute water scarcity line.
Tayba who lives in a tiny apartment in the capital Amman, her family spend most of the week without water, as per the pumping schedule, and they only have one small-sized water tank available (one cubic meter), which is not enough.
According to preliminary UNHCR data (Vulnerability Assessment Framework/VAF – quarter 4/2023), one in six refugees indicated water storage capacity at their households was not enough to meet their needs.
Tayba’s husband fills big plastic bottles with water from the neighbours almost every day to carry them back home.
Tayba worries for her children’s health because of the lack of water, as dirty dishes stay in the sink for days without being washed, attracting flies and mosquitoes to the house.
“One of my daughters often faces health issues because she does not use the bathroom when she needs to, and showering became a luxury for us”, the mother explains.
© UNHCR/Batool Ghaith
Preliminary research by the International Security and Development Center, in collaboration with UNHCR’s Innovation Service, has found that approximately 40 per cent of refugees living in camps and host communities in Jordan are vulnerable to climate change.
Therefore, UNHCR in Jordan is producing a framework for awareness activities to improve both preparedness and adaptive capacity to climate change to help refugees to cope with it.
The drop in available water has consequences far beyond individual health or hygiene. Hiyam Sabouh, a 40-year-old Syrian refugee in Amman, also a mother of four, is one of the refugees who are affected by water scarcity.
“My daughters end up skipping school because they feel uncomfortable to go without showering”, she says. “We cannot afford to buy water from private vendors because it is very expensive,” the mother explains. And they cannot use their water tank for health reasons as it is very rusty.
Water scarcity also affects the agriculture which provides not only crops, but also work for thousands of people in Jordan – 70 per cent of whom are refugees. Water scarcity sends yields of farmland down and food prices up, which exacerbates the situation of vulnerable Jordanians and refugees alike.
As water resources dwindle, the daily struggles of refugee families underscore the urgent need for comprehensive solutions and sustainable development initiatives which address the environmental challenges. UNHCR in Jordan will continue to support vulnerable communities, and to advocate for responsible water use and investment from development actors that alleviate the situation of vulnerable Jordanians and the refugees the country generously hosts.
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