Amman, Sept. 29 (Petra) -- UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said Jordan has made substantial progress in advancing children’s rights by expanding access to education, strengthening the legal framework for children’s rights and supporting vulnerable families.

In an interview with the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Russell said her visit to Jordan was an opportunity to recognize the Kingdom’s achievements for children and reaffirm UNICEF’s support for the country’s priorities.

She said her central message is that these commitments require sustained investment, with progress measured by whether children are learning, feeling safe and receiving the support they need.

Russell commended Jordan’s continued generosity towards refugees, stressing that the international community must continue to share responsibility for supporting refugees. She reaffirmed that UNICEF will remain alongside Jordan as a partner to help ensure every child has access to essential services.

She said Jordan has demonstrated extraordinary solidarity with children and families displaced by the Syria crisis, despite the pressures facing public services, water resources and the economy, noting that this commitment deserves recognition and international support.

Russell stressed that support for refugee children and investment in host communities must go hand in hand. UNICEF’s work reflects this approach, she said, noting that Makani centres provide refugee and host-community children with safe spaces to learn and grow, while UNICEF’s support to national institutions helps strengthen services for children across the country.

Asked about her assessment of the situation facing Jordanian children today and their prospects for the future, Russell said there is strong reason for optimism, noting that with more than 97 percent of children enrolled in primary school, Jordan has built a solid foundation.

The priority now, she said, is to turn access to education into quality learning and future-ready skills by strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, supporting teachers, modernizing curricula and promoting inclusive classrooms.

She stressed that children with disabilities and those facing economic or other barriers must be able to participate and succeed, adding that UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Education to support the reform agenda through technical expertise and evidence.

Russell said UNICEF’s partnership with Jordan is longstanding and grounded in national development priorities. Over more than seven decades, the partnership has developed into close collaboration with national institutions on policies, services and investments that shape children’s lives.

She said UNICEF will continue working with the government to improve learning, support vulnerable families, prevent and respond to violence, and strengthen the skills of young people and adolescents as they transition to adulthood.

Russell noted that Jordan’s 2022 Child Rights Law represents an important foundation, stressing that the priority now is to translate the law, along with other national commitments, into consistent services accessible to every child. She said the overall goal is to strengthen institutions and coordination so that support reaches all children in need.

Regarding the role of UNICEF’s Jordan office in the region’s humanitarian response, including support for children in Gaza, Russell said children in Gaza urgently need protection and the basic necessities for survival, including safe water, nutritious food, healthcare and shelter. They also need support to recover and return to learning.

She said UNICEF is focusing on life-saving assistance, essential services and protecting children from further harm, noting that this requires safe, sustained and unimpeded access, protection for aid workers and respect for international humanitarian law.

Russell said Jordan is a critical humanitarian gateway through the Jordan Corridor. She noted that UNICEF has helped move more than 1,600 trucks and five airlifts carrying health, nutrition and winter supplies worth more than US$54 million into Gaza.

On UNICEF’s cooperation with Jordan in developing the new National Youth Strategy and efforts to bridge the gap between young people’s skills and labor market needs, Russell said young people and adolescents need skills, confidence, resilience and a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

She said Jordan’s National Youth Strategy provides an opportunity to bring these elements together within a coherent, long-term approach. UNICEF is supporting the strategy and working with the Ministry of Youth on life skills programs that help young people navigate the transition into adulthood.

Through the Generation Ready program, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and the Vocational Training Corporation, UNICEF is helping modernize vocational training so that it better matches labor market needs, she said, stressing the urgency of such efforts in addressing unemployment.

Regarding the importance of strengthening national systems, Russell said Jordan has established national institutions and developed clear strategies aimed at improving children’s lives.

Investing in these systems, she explained, can help services reach more families more consistently and extend their impact beyond individual funding cycles.

She said UNICEF’s support for the National Social Protection Strategy and the National Aid Fund’s new Cash Plus unit is helping strengthen links between different services.

Russell added that the national action plan addressing child protection and violence against children and families can improve coordination between prevention and response services.

The next step, she said, is to ensure that the plan is backed by adequate budgets, trained professionals, clear referral pathways and effective case management.

As she concluded her visit, Russell said her message to the Jordanian people is one of appreciation and continued commitment, stressing that Jordan’s investment in children and its generosity toward people seeking safety have made a lasting difference.

She said Jordan has clear ambitions in education, social protection, child safety and opportunities for young people, reaffirming that UNICEF will continue working with institutions and communities to turn these ambitions into positive change for children and families.

After more than seven decades of partnership, Russell said UNICEF will continue working to help every child in Jordan learn, grow up in a safe and healthy environment, and face the future with hope.

//Petra//WH

29/09/2026 10:58:26