A presentation by Dr Nicola Jones, Amman, Jordan, July 2019

1. GAGE and UNICEF Jordan Baseline Dissemination Workshop
GAGE Jordan Key Baseline Findings:
Adolescent Capabilities and Makani impacts
©
Dr Nicola Jones and Jude Sajdi, Amman, July 2019

2. Outline of presentation
1
• Overview: GAGE research
2
• Research methodology
3
• Adolescent capabilities and Makani programme impacts on these
4
• Implications for policy and practice

3. Please note that the photographs of
adolescents DO NOT capture GAGE research
participants and consent was gained from
their guardians for the photographs to be
used for GAGE communications purposes.
Overview:
GAGE research
12 year old Syrian girl in Mafraq @ Natalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

4. Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE):
A longitudinal research programme in the Global South (2015-2024)
By finding out ‘what works,’ for whom, where
and why, we can better support adolescent girls
and boys to maximise their capabilities now and
in the future.

5. Why adolescence?
An age of opportunity The demographic imperative
Percentage of the total population aged 10-24
years in 2013
Key junctures in adolescent
neurodevelopment

6. GAGE 3Cs Conceptual Framework

7. 1. How do adolescent girls and boys in diverse low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
experience transitions from childhood to adulthood? How do these differ by age, gender,
disability, geographic location?
Stemming from our conceptual framework, GAGE addresses three core sets of questions:
2. What effects do adolescent-focused
programme interventions have on
adolescent capabilities in the short and
longer-term?
3. What programme design and
implementation characteristics matter for
effective delivery and scalability?
GAGE Core Research Questions

8. GAGE longitudinal research sample
8
Jordan 4000 Jordan 220 Jordan 50

9. UNICEF Jordan and GAGE study - research objectives
To understand adolescents’ diverse experiences and perceptions in a protracted
humanitarian context – annual data collection from 2018-2022
To measure the short- and longer-term effects of the UNICEF’s integrated adolescent
and youth programming (particularly the Makani ‘My Space’ programme) on young
people’s development trajectories, broader wellbeing and empowerment.
To understand Makani programme uptake amongst the most vulnerable and hardest-
to-reach adolescents in Jordan.
To explore and test added value of Hajati’s cash programme in supporting vulnerable
adolescents’ development trajectories and wellbeing.

10. Education and
learning
A boy in host community: ©Herwig/UNICEF/2019
‘God willing, I wish to be a
teacher.’
(9th grade Syrian boy, host community)

11. Adolescents are aiming high
Our survey found that young people in Jordan have high educational aspirations—though
there are notable differences.
• 93% of Jordanian girls versus 60% of adolescents in ITS
82% want to complete at least some secondary school
• 83% of Jordanian girls versus 48% of Palestinian boys
70% want to complete at least some university

12. Adolescents in and out of school aspire to more education
 In school adolescents often have professional
aspirations.
‘I want to study at university, to study law,
and to come back to Syria and become an
advocate.’
(15-year-old Syrian boy, Azraq camp)
‘All of us want to go back to school. We want
to convince our parents to send us to school.
This is our ambition.’
(Syrian adolescent girl in an ITS)
 Out of school adolescents frame their
aspirations in terms of a return to school.
A girl in a classroom, Jordan: ©Herwig/UNICEF/2016

13. Parents support higher education
Female caregivers have high educational aspirations.
• 96% want their child to attend secondary and 88% want their child to attend
university
Jordanian parents have the highest aspirations, those in ITS the lowest.
• 99% of Jordanian parents want their child to attend secondary versus 86% of
parents in ITS (96% Syrian; 1.9% Pakistani, 1.9% Jordanian)
Parents’ aspirations for boys are higher than those for girls—even though in Jordan
girls are more educationally successful.
‘Getting married is better for the girls.’ (Palestinian mother)

14. However, few can provide practical guidance
‘I ask them (the teachers) to send me the results. I do not allow them to
work during school. I do not want them to lose out on education for some
money. I give each of them a lira for each day they attend, so that they are
encouraged to go. They can follow their own goals.’
(Syrian father, ITS)
‘I hope they can continue their studies but my husband plans to let him quit
school and work. Because he is very poor.’
(Syrian mother, ITS)
 Most parents understand the limits of their aspirations for their
children.
 Only a few detailed practical support.

15. Access to schooling varies
 Girls are removed due to restrictive
gender norms.
‘I swear to God, her father married her, made
her leave eighth grade….her first day of 16
years, because of the verbal harassment of
young people.’ (Mother, Zaatari)
‘When we came here there weren’t schools,
so her education was delayed.’
(Father, Zaatari)
 It took time to scale up education.
 Boys are pulled out by demands for their labour.
‘They even wanted me to pay rent for the
whole household.’
(15-year-old Syrian boy, host community)A girl in a classroom, Jordan: ©Herwig/UNICEF/2016

16. Enrolment varies across adolescent groups
Younger adolescents more than older (94% vs 54%)
Jordanians more than Palestinians and Syrians (89% vs 86% vs 71%)
Host communities and camps more than ITS (78% and 78% vs 44%)
Older unmarried girls more than older boys (65% vs 54%)
Married girls least of all—9%
Of all GAGE adolescents, 76% were enrolled.

17. Educational quality is poor
PRESENTATION NAME AND DATE
• 46% could read a short story
• 40% could subtract
Of all GAGE survey participants—both those in and out of school:
• 53% vs 39% could read a short story
• 44% vs 35% could subtract
Girls outperform boys:
• 42% vs 40% vs 22% could read a short story
• 44% vs 34% vs 28% could subtract
Jordanians outperform Syrians and Palestinians—looking only at boys:
• 21% in ITS could read a short story (vs 25% in Azraq)
• 20% in ITS could subtract (vs 28% in Azraq)
Adolescents in ITS have the worst learning outcomes—though Azraq is not far behind.

18. Adolescents with disabilities face high barriers
 Our survey found similar enrolment—but identified other risks:
 Our qualitative work found accessibility limited and parents’ efforts key to enrolment.
‘My aspiration is to go to school but I
scarcely leave the building … It is hard for
my mother to carry me down the stairs … I
can only look at the other children out the
window.’
( 13-year-old Syrian girl with
mobility impairment)
‘Even after the school confirmed that she
is capable, the Ministry of Education
refused to register her … So I sat on the
floor in the middle of the Ministry, and
told them I am not leaving!’
(Jordanian mother of two children with
disabilities)
Educational outcomes are lower:
 33% can read a story (versus 48%)
 33% can subtract (versus 41%)
Less likely to hold a leadership position at
school (30% vs 39%)

19. Corporal punishment at school is endemic
There are significant differences between
groups:
• Younger teens are more at risk than older
teens (44% vs 35%)
• Boys are more at risk than girls (58% vs 25%)
• Teens in host communities (43%) are more at
risk than camps (40%) and ITS (28%)
Violence contributes to school drop out:
‘I dropped out of school because they hit us.’
(17-year-old Palestinian boy)
Syrians report less
corporal punishment than
Jordanians ( 39% vs 45%)
Those living in Azraq
report less violence than
those living in Zaatari
(31% vs 43%)
Overall, 41% of in-school adolescents have
experienced corporal punishment at school.
Under-reporting is significant.

20. Educational transitions are fraught
 Restrictive gender norms limit
girls and child labour limits
boys.
‘The girls get married young, or due
to customs and traditions, so their
parents don’t allow them to
continue education… In sixth grade
you have four classes then they
gradually decrease until they reach
one class in the tenth, eleventh and
twelfth grade…. ’
(Adolescent girl, Azraq)
 Corporal punishment
is more severe.
‘It is indescribable with
1000 degree difference.
The school manager of
the primary school was so
kind. She listened to us.
She did not punish us.
Here if you speak just a
word, she punishes us
even in the morning at
the queue.’
(16-year-old Syrian girl)
 Access barriers are
financial and legal.
‘In 2018, 267 students
succeeded in Tawjihi… only 5
entered university…there are
not enough scholarships’.
(Father, Zaatari)
‘There is discrimination
between those who hold the
national number and those
who don’t.’ (Palestinian boy,
host community)
Most adolescents and parents aspire to secondary and even tertiary education….but only 54% of
older adolescents are still enrolled.

21. In regard to schooling, boys are disadvantaged
Younger boys miss 24% more
days than younger girls
Boys are twice as likely to face
corporal punishment – 58% vs 25%

22. Boys are disadvantaged in education, but Makani can help

23. Makani impacts on education
1
•Makani improves access to school – through outreach, referral, links to Hajati cash transfer,
transportation for ITS
• Older adolescents who attend Makani are 50% more likely to be enrolled (48% boys vs 50% girls).
• ‘We receive children who don’t go to schools and rehabilitate them so they can return to schools,
their natural places.’ (Mateen facilitator, ITS)
2
•Makani improves learning outcomes – through Learning Support Services
• Older boys who attend Makani are 34% more likely to be able to subtract.
‘My son told me that he got benefit from here (Makani) more than his school.’
(Father, Zaatari)
3
•Makani builds children’s leadership skills – through interactions with peers in safe space and life
skills training
•Older girls who attend Makani are 33% more likely to hold a leadership position at school.

24. Priority actions
Scale up efforts to raise parents’ and adolescents’ awareness of the importance of
secondary education and work to help families overcome barriers preventing schooling.
Expand investment in programming to support adolescents who have dropped
out of school and need to work,and include curriculum options that are attractive
to older adolescents and with opportunities to further education.
 Promote national efforts to develop and finance an accessible school
transportation system, with particular attention to children in remote areas.
Partner with schools to help teachers adopt child-friendly pedagogies to improve
classroom discipline, reduce bullying, and promote meaningful participation.
Maintain and expand access to formal education for all adolescents, irrespective of
nationality.

25. Window frame:©A. Malachowska/ GAGE 2019
Freedom from
age- and gender-
based violence

26. Violence at home is the norm
Nearly half (49%) of GAGE adolescents admitted to experiencing violence at home.
37% of female caregivers of young adolescents admitted to using violent discipline
in the last month.
8% of female caregivers of young adolescents admitted to severely beating their
adolescent child in the last month—due to extreme stress levels.

27. Boys are more at risk, but girls are punished for violating gender norms
When girls are beaten, it is for
violating gender norms.
‘My daughter once visited her friends
without telling me, and I beat her
harshly. And there is another girl in the
area who had an affair with one of the
boys. If my daughter talked to her I
would beat my daughter. Because she
might ruin my daughter's future, the
future that I hope for her.’
(Palestinian mother)
42% of boys’ mothers admitted to
using violent discipline—compared
to 31% of girls’ mothers
‘I do not beat my daughter because
this will affect her but when I beat
my son, he will be better. Girls can
hear the speech but you must hit
boys in order for them to obey.’
(Syrian mother, host community)

28. Most boys experience corporal punishment at school
• By contrast only 25% of in-school girls reported having
experienced violence at the hands of a teacher.
58% of GAGE’s in-school boys experience violence by
teachers
• Jordanians (45%) and Palestinians (46%) report more violence in school
than Syrians (39%).
• Adolescents in Azraq report less violence in schools than those in Zaatari
(31% vs 43%).
Under-reporting appears common:

29. Bullying is common—with some adolescents at greater risk
‘They were calling him deaf,
speechless, and unable to walk. You
know how are our community and
their perception about the disabled...
So, I wanted to move to another
house.’
(Syrian mother of an 11-year-old boy
who is deaf)
‘They beat us with the blade.’
(10-year-old Syrian boy, host community)
 Due to stigma, those with disabilities
are more at risk than those without
(53% versus 40%).
 Younger adolescents are more at risk
than their older peers (49% versus
33%).
 Boys are more at risk than girls (46%
versus 38%).
 Our qualitative work found that
Syrian boys are at the highest risk of
the most extreme bullying.

30. Sexual harassment is endemic—and girls are blamed
 Adolescent girls and their parents reported that nearly all girls are at risk of sexual
harassment (‘sexual words’) when they leave the house.
 Boys and young men stand around outside of girls’ schools as class is beginning
and ending—and follow girls to and from school.
 Girls are often blamed for harassment.
 Harassment limits girls’ mobility and contributes to their school drop-out and
psychosocial illbeing.
‘He took my hand. I was shocked for two days and
I did not eat at that time and I kept crying. After
that, I never went out on my own. I just walk in
between houses and avoid being in the street.’
(Older girl, Zaatari camp)
‘Our community is unmerciful … If anyone
violates any girls, the community thinks
that the girl likes to do that, and she
wanted this action.’
(15-year-old Syrian girl living in Zarqa)

31. Child marriage is common—and rarely wanted
Of GAGE’s 15-17 year old girls,
18%—almost entirely Syrian—
were already married.
15 is considered a good age for
marriage—but girls as young as
12 marry.
‘I wish to get my daughter married
when she becomes 15 years old.’
(Palestinian mother, Gaza Camp)
Girls’ opinions about marriage are
not considered.
‘I will marry her even she does not
accept because you need to marry
your daughter with a man who has
principles and ethics. It is difficult.’
(Syrian father, host community)
For Syrians and Palestinians,
cousin marriage is the norm.
‘Our customs and traditions
stipulate that priority in marriage
is for the cousin.’
(17-year-old girl, Azraq)

32. Many married girls experience gender-based violence
Some girls are abused by their
in-laws.
‘His father tried to touch me as
well. He displayed his genitals to
me. He would start touching
himself in front of me.’
(17-year-old married girl, Zaatari)
Girls are abused by their husbands.
‘He beats me by his hand, foot, or using a
stick.’ (18-year-old married girl, ITS)
‘He used to pour water in my ears, because
these things don’t leave any marks on the
outside.’
(19-year-old divorced girl, host community)
Divorce is a common outcome.
‘The longest marriage lasts for 1 month,
1 month and a half, 2 months. I mean,
for me, I have multiple cases that I know
in this region. The whole thing fails.’
(Makani KI, ITS)
Married girls may be abused by
their own families.
‘I lived with my mother-in-law. She
would ask my brother to beat me.’
(17-year-old Syrian girl, host
community)

33. Makani impacts on age- & gender-based violence
1
• Makani contributes to child marriage prevention through awareness raising to parents,
child protection messaging to adolescents and learning support (which keeps girls in school).
• Older girls who participate are 58% less likely to be married (10% vs 23%).
2
•Makani strengthens adolescents’ reporting of violence through child protection messages.
•Older boy participants are 42% more likely to talk to someone about bullying.
•Older girl participants are 30% more likely to know where to seek support after being hit.
•Younger boy participants are 20% more likely to know where to seek support after being hit.
3
•Makani decreases parents’ reliance on corporal punishment through better parenting
sessions
•Mothers of younger boy participants are 13% less likely to admit to using violent discipline.
•Mothers of younger girl participants are 16% less likely to admit to using violent discipline.

34. Priority actions to address violence
Scale up parent support groups to improve communication between parents and adolescents,
shift gender norms, and relieve parent stress.
Expand programming that supports empowerment for girls and positive masculinities for
boys, through synchronised gender-transformative curricula.
 Identify champions of change among religious and community leaders to prevent child
marriage.
Continue promoting child-friendly pedagogies to improve positive classroom discipline
and reduce peer violence.
Organise and scale-up parent and adolescent volunteers to provide better security on the
streets and outside school buildings.
Promote national efforts to expand psychosocial support services for adolescents, including case
management services, especially for girls who have experienced age- and gender-based violence.

35. Health, nutrition,
and sexual and
reproductive health
Vaccinating in Azraq Hospital: © Herwig/UNICEF/2019

36. Adolescents are generally healthy—but remain vulnerable
82% of all GAGE adolescents
report good health
 Syrians (80%) are less
healthy than Palestinians
(90%) and Jordanians (88%)
Gender matters
 Boys are far more likely to smoke cigarettes (34%
versus 5%)
 Boys are at higher risk of serious illness or accident
(17% versus 11%), likely due to gender norms that
keep girls home.
‘When my son was shot, he was with 19 other people, I
thanked God 100 times, 1,000 times that none of the
women were shot. Because really, how difficult would that
be. Because if we wanted to treat her, and she would need
to come and go all the time, that would have been a big
problem.’
(Syrian father of an 18-year-old son with a physical
impairment)
Adolescents with disabilities
are more at risk
 Only 64% report good
health
 23% have been seriously ill
in the last year (versus 13%)

37. Adolescent ill-health has multiple causes
 Child labourers are prone to work-related injuries
‘We had many cases of children going outdoors
instead of the toilets. There’s sharing of the
toilets… Some people feel the toilet is not clean,
and outdoors is better.’ (Key informant, Azraq)
 Many illnesses result from overcrowding
and poor sanitation
‘There are girls who work over their ability. For
example, in their work, they carry the cartons and
they transfer them so that their backs and legs pain
them. They have varicose veins in their legs from
standing still all day. (17-year-old Jordanian girl)Father with his son in Azraq Camp: ©Herwig/UNICEF/2019

38. Both under- and over-medicalisation are concerns
 65% of recently ill GAGE
adolescents sought treatment—
sometimes for minor complaints
such as headaches
 There is a widespread belief that
more care is always better care.
 Costs are an issue for the
poorest—especially refugees
living in host communities and
ITS where service access is more
limited compared to camps.
 Discrimination can be an issue
for refugees.
’Now we have to pay for the transportation, then
pay to have an appointment to see the doctor,
then pay to buy the medication.’
(Syrian father, ITS)
‘The doctor treats the patient based on their own
description of what they feel. The doctor does not
make any medical tests for the patient.’
(Palestinian father, Gaza camp)
‘My parents noticed that something was wrong but the
doctors were telling them the opposite to what I told
them… The doctor told my parents that I was mentally
ill... that what I had was a mental illness, not physical.’
(16-year old Syrian girl hospitalised with severe fibrosis)

39. Food insecurity is the norm—and hunger is relatively common
17% of GAGE adolescents
reported going hungry in
the last month.
‘I mean if there is a
coupon there will be food,
if the coupon is finished
there is no food at all.’
(Syrian mother, ITS)
Food security is better in
camps than host
communities and ITS, due
to free bread distribution
and school feeding.
Adolescents with
disabilities are more
likely to report hunger
(28% versus 16%) than
those without, due to the
added costs of disability.
Diet quality is an
issue—there are too many
carbohydrates and too
few micronutrients.
‘Most of them (young
mothers) suffer from Iron
deficiency, because she has
two challenges; the first
that she is a pregnant and
the other challenge that
she is still developing.’
(Health care provider,
Zaatari)

40. Overweight and obesity are on the rise
• Over two-thirds of adult Jordanians are now overweight (Mokdad et al., 2014)
Shifting diets are fueling epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay.
Adolescents prefer chips, biscuits, juice and soda—despite good knowledge about
nutrition.
School canteens serve junk food, not healthy food.
• ‘I used to play football…Then they started convincing my
mom to change her mind. They’d tried before with my father but
he didn't listen to them and said "it's her choice, this is what she
wants". So they tried with my mother until she made me stop
playing.’ (16-year-old girl, Zaatari)
Exercise for adolescent girls is often discouraged due to conservative social norms

41. Older adolescents have information about puberty—but…
Girls were more likely to
have a source of
information than boys
(92% versus 79%)—though
most did not know about
menstruation until after it
began.
‘I feel shy to tell him, but I
can tell my daughter
without shyness.’
(Mother, Zaatari)
Adolescents in host
communities were
advantaged (88%) over
those in formal camps
(82%) and ITS (76%).
‘I did not tell her about
periods, this generation is
taught by themselves, they
teach each other. Aren’t
they working together?
They know more than me’
(Mother, ITS)
Adolescents reported
learning about puberty
from their mothers and
aunts, at school, and
through Makani classes:
‘My aunt told me… I feel
like my aunt is more like a
friend of mine.’
(17-year-old Palestinian girl,
Gaza camp)

42. Knowledge about SRH is very limited
 Due to cultural norms, sexuality is rarely
discussed prior to marriage.
 There are barriers even for married girls.
 Some married girls reported that they
were not told about sex itself until the day
of marriage.
 Some young mothers do not understand
the link between sex and pregnancy.
 Only 43% of married girls could identify a
form of contraception when present with a
list.
 Married girls reported that their husbands
will not allow them to use contraception.
‘I worked with some children who
were pregnant and they found that
they’re pregnant in their like sixth
month…because these children they
do not know that sexual relations
makes women pregnant.’
(Key informant, host community)

43. Girls and boys face different health risks…
Married girls
Unmarried girls
Recognise a form of contraception
Percent already married

44. Boys are at greater risk of substance abuse
Smoke cigarettes Smoke shisha
Older boys Older Jordanian boys

45. Makani impacts on health and nutrition
1
• Makani contributes to a reduction in substance abuse through life skills messages and by
mentorship
• Older boys who attend Makani are 19% less likely to smoke cigarettes.
2
•Makani provides opportunities for girls to participate in sport as part of its activity package
•Older girls who attend Makani are twice as likely to play a sport.
3
•Makani increases girls' access to information about puberty changes through life skills and child
protection messages.
•‘I took a course at the Makani centre, called The Woman and The Girl, and they got us a female
doctor so we could ask her anything.’ (14-year-old Syrian girl, Azraq)
4
•Makani contributes to improved understanding of good nutrition through science and life skills
classes
•Adolescents who attend Makani demonstrate better knowledge of nutrition.

46. Priority actions to enhance adolescent health
Expand the depth of Makani health education classes for young people and ensure that
they discuss nutrition, sanitation, basic self-care, substance use and puberty.
Develop and scale up, depending on context, female-only sports/physical recreation
opportunities.
Continue and expand physical education programming in public schools and work to
ensure adolescents have opportunities to engage in regular physical activity
Target parents—especially fathers--for classes on substance use.
Work with the Ministries of Education, Health, and Youth to ensure that schools provide
physical education and health classes and canteens provide nutritious food including free fruit.

47. ‘Typically I sit here in front of the TV
screen and seldom leave this
apartment….’
(Syrian girl with cerebral palsy)
Psychosocial wellbeing
& Voice and Agency
A group of girls huddle together at the women's centre in Jerash Camp: ©Omar Chatriwala

48. Resilience is the norm, but emotional distress is common
One-third of adolescents had scores that demonstrated emotional distress:
• Adolescents with disabilities are 71% more likely to exhibit distress
• Older girls are 11% more likely to be distressed than older boys
• Those in ITS (40%) are more distressed than those in host communities (33%)
and camps (29%)
• Nationality differences were relatively small
‘Depression… comes from very severe poverty… it has a high effect on adolescents as all their
needs aren’t complete, they have only one club and it doesn’t accept everyone - only those who
have talent, the rest are marginalized… So they spend their time in the street or the girls at
home home in their room… and we know of suicide attempts… families may try to hide it but it’s
happening’. (Social worker in Gaza Camp)
Our survey included the General Health Questionnaire-12 and the Child and Youth
Resilience Measure-28 and found that most adolescents are not psychologically
distressed and are emotionally resilient:

49. There is considerable diversity within our sample
A girl in a bus: ©Herwig/UNICEF/2018
 Some are remarkably confident
‘I always resolve my problems. I don’t leave
them without being solved. All my
problems are not big.’
(16-year-old out of school Syrian girl
living in ITS)
 Some have significant mental health
challenges.
‘When we left Syria, he stopped going to
school. It affected his psychology…Sorrows
made him to be in a bad psychological
status. Yes, the bear more than they can
handle.’ (Mother of a 12-year-old boy)

50. Qualitative research highlighted high levels of psychosocial distress on the part of
Palestinian and especially Syrian girls around pressures to marry as children.
‘The girl is 13 years old and was pulled out of
school. She ran away from home as she did not
want to get married so young. She begged her
family but they were not persuaded. She sheltered
at my friend’s house and told us she was thinking to
commit suicide. I asked my family to interfere but
they [her family] said please do not interfere – she is
our daughter… Now she stands by the window and
thinks of suicide. She does not leave the house. She
has a psychological illness’.
(15-year-old married Syrian girl, Amman)
Early marriage is a major stress factor for older girls
‘If he (the father) likes the
person, he will agree to
marry her….Even if she
doesn’t agree, he will not
listen to her opinion.’
(Mother, Gaza camp)

51. Family support is critical to psychosocial wellbeing
GAGE survey findings suggest overall positive relationships with caregivers,
especially among younger adolescents.
Older adolescent girls appeared to have a significantly stronger relationship
with mothers than do boys (26% higher).
Syrian adolescents—especially those in ITS—are less able to talk to their
parents than Jordanians and Palestinians.

52. Parents also need support in order to support their adolescents
Parenting styles vary
‘My father trusts me, unlike other families.
He advises me, but he has ever beaten me or
prevented me from doing anything.’
(16-year-old girl living in ITS) Syrian parents are the most
traumatised
‘When we first came we were not seeking
any services or any help. We were all
suffering from the fear which was in
Syrian from the war and shelling at the
time. We needed to calm down. First we
calmed down our children, then
ourselves; from the fear we were living in,
from hunger. It was a stage of fear and
depression.’ (Syrian father, Zaatari Camp)
Parenting education classes can help
‘We created a parental skills programme to
help parents know how to deal with their
children concerning basic challenges. For
example, the parents used to punish the
children for urinating at night. We had to
explain to them that this causes further
problems such as hate for the parents.’
(Social worker in Azraq camp)
48% of the mothers of older GAGE
adolescents have trauma scores that
suggest PTSD

53. Agency and voice in the household is limited
Adolescents feel that they have a medium level of input into household decision-making
(based on an index in our survey).
- Young people in camps perceived the most input—those in ITS the least.
- Older girls’ scores were 9% lower than older boys’ (vs a 5% gap for younger teens).
- There were no differences across nationalities.
Domains where adolescents have the least say are related to work for boys and marriage
for girls.
‘Many people thought that I was a big girl and shouldn’t be learning Taekwondo. My
relatives, especially my aunt, told me that I shouldn’t be learning Taekwondo and that
it’s inappropriate. I didn’t listen to them and told my parents that if I’ll listen to what
people have to say, I won’t do anything.’ (17-year-old girl, Azraq Camp)

54. Age and gender shape mobility outside the home
Of all GAGE adolescents, 76% leave home daily and 14% leave their community weekly.
• Girls are 23% less likely to leave home every day than boys.
• Girls are 44% less likely to leave their community weekly than boys.
The gender gap grows over adolescence—older girls are 38% less likely to leave home
daily and 54% less likely to leave the community weekly (than older boys).
‘The girls communicate with our relatives and neighbours only inside the camp. Outside
the camp no. If she wants to visit her friend outside I go with her or her brother goes
with her. We are strangers and we are afraid for our daughter… But the boys can go
wherever they want alone.’ (Syrian father, ITS near Amman)
The gender gap for refugee populations is twice the gender gap for Jordanians.
Married girls are 54% less likely to leave home than their unmarried peers.

55. Not all adolescents have friends
 Most (71%) adolescents have a friend
they trust
 Those in ITS (77%) are the most likely to
have a trusted friend (vs ~70%)
 Palestinians (62%) are less likely to have
a trusted friend (vs ~73%)
 Palestinian girls are especially
disadvantaged (59% vs 65% for
Palestinian boys)
 Adolescents with disabilities are less
likely to have a trusted friend than
those without (64% vs 72%)
‘Then the girl when she gets
married … she does not have any
more relationships with her
friends.’
(18-year-old Palestinian girl)
 Older married girls are less likely to have
a trusted friend than their unmarried
peers (61% vs 73%)

56. Access to and acceptability of PSS support services
Although there is some access to PSS services from medical professionals and NGOs, many
GAGE participants reported that they were unaware of how to access such services..
In host communities, the main PSS services that adolescents access are in schools. School
counsellors are more accessible to Jordanian students.
Family honour and stigma limits service uptake.
‘I would rather handle the problem on my own [than report]… … after that everyone is going
to be gossiping about that…’ (Focus group, Zaatari Camp)
Psychosocial services in camps are less stigmatised.
‘Until now he keeps reminding her [the life skills facilitator] that he didn’t know until that
point that he had a value in this society.’ (Makani facilitator, Amman)
Some families also seek the support of religious leaders for their children
The parents of divorced girls were especially interested in services for their daughters

57. Access to information and digital technology varies
Many adolescents have access:
• 35% have a mobile phone for their
own use
• 51% have access to the internet
Girls have less access than boys:
• Girls are 43% less likely to have a phone
(26% versus 46%)
• Girls are 17% less likely to have internet
access (47% versus 56%)
• The gender gap is driven by refugees,
Jordanian young people have similar
access.
‘I wanted to buy a mobile phone with my own
money. But my father refused to let me buy it.’
(16 year old girl, Zaatari camp)
Location and nationality differences:
• Only 24% of adolescents in ITS have a
phone for their own use.
• Only 25% of Palestinians have a phone.
• Jordanians are the most likely to have
internet access (69%).
Adolescents with disabilities have less access
than those without:
• 17% less likely to have a phone
• 16% less likely to have internet access
Older married girls’ access varies:
• 79% more likely to have a phone
• 13% less likely to have internet access

58. 70% of GAGE adolescents are able to identify a role
model and are as interested in the behaviour of the
role model as their social status.
Adolescent boys want to be policemen, teachers and football stars,
whilst girls commonly look up to their mothers, female relatives or Queen Rania.
‘I follow Queen Rania on the internet and I have seen her work…She’s very keen on
fashion. She’s also very kind to people in need… Every time she appears with a new look,
she tries to be the most beautiful, and at the same time she’s also neat and polite… I
have watched many interviews for her, on YouTube. She talked about the new
generations and how she’s supporting them.’
(16-year-old Syrian girl, Mafraq)
Role models are key for adolescents to envision alternative futures
Older girls are more likely to
have role models than older
boys.

59. Girls are disadvantaged on multiple fronts
Nearly one third of girls don’t
leave their house daily
Boys are nearly twice as likely
to own mobile phone as girls
(46% vs 26%)
Older girls report 11% more
emotional distress (than older
boys)
Nearly 1 in 5 older girls are
married

60. Social cohesion: ‘The glue that holds society together’
• Adolescents have a mean score of 2.5 on a scale of 1 to 4, suggesting medium
level of social cohesion
• There is a small but significant gender gap – adolescent boys feel a greater
sense of social cohesion than adolescent girls (5%).
• Adolescents with disabilities -- perhaps reflecting discrimination and social
exclusion -- reported lower scores on the social cohesion index (-15%).
• There was no significant difference in perceptions of social cohesion among
Jordanians compared to non-Jordanians, but those in ITS (2.9) felt more than
those in camps (2.6) and host communities (2.4).
According to our social cohesion index (older adolescents only):

61. Makani impacts on voice, agency & PSS
1
• Makani supports social cohesion among older adolescents by providing peer
interaction opportunities, life skills and Social Innovation Labs.
• Older adolescents who participate are 70% more likely to have worked with others
to solve a community problem.
2
• Makani contributes to improved adolescent-parent communication through life
skills and better parenting sessions.
• Older adolescents who participate score 21% higher re what they can discuss with
their fathers.
3
• Makani contributes to adolescent girls’ mobility through providing a safe space
and some transportation.
• Older girls who participate are 31% more likely to leave home every day.

62. 4
• Makani is linked with improved digital connectivity and knowledge for adolescent
girls through online course offerings.
• Older girls who participate are 19% more likely to be allowed to use the internet.
5
• Makani contributes to improved social networks among adolescent girls and life
skills messages.
• Girls who participate are 16% more likely to have a trusted friend.
6
• Makani contributes to improved mental wellbeing among older adolescents
through life skills, child protection activities and opportunities to interact with
peers and trusted mentors.
• Older teens who participate are 14% less likely to report psychological distress.
Makani impacts on voice, agency & PSS

63. Priority actions on voice, agency and PSS
Roll out newly developed parenting manual for adolescents and deliver parent support
groups and classes for parents of adolescents.
Expand opportunities for adolescents—especially girls-- to spend time with peers
in safe spaces by developing more age-tailored programming for older adolescents,
including Social Innovation Labs, which combine problem-solving, teamwork and
volunteering opportunities.
 Continue strengthening the Ministry of Education’s Nashatati Programme and
Makani so as to reach more adolescents with opportunities to develop confidence,
articulate thoughts and feelings and collaborate to solve problems.
Expand coverage of courses on psychosocial first aid and hotlines for young people with
mental ill-health, especially refugees given high levels of trauma. While many families
have been in Jordan for considerable time, support is still required.

64. Economic
empowerment
Boys working on an olive farm water ©Herwig/UNICEF/2018

65. Adolescents’ occupational aspirations are variable
 73% of adolescents aspire to have a professional career.
‘I want to become a pharmacist like my
cousin’
(11-year-old Syrian girl, ITS in Amman)
‘I want to study at university, to study law,
and to come back to Syria and become an
advocate.’
(15-year-old Syrian boy, Azraq camp)
 Refugee boys—especially Palestinians—often have more pragmatic aspirations.
‘I have an ambition to have my own
workshop and business – for car mechanics…
Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to do
this and have my own business.’
(15 year old Syrian boy, Amman)
‘I wanted to learn a certain profession but
the financial situation does not allow me to
learn it. I liked the profession of car colour
mixing.’
(17-year-old out of school boy, Gaza Camp)

66. Girls’ aspirations are shaped by gender norms
‘For me, my only idea is that a
qualification is a woman’s or girl’s
weapon. I will study, work hard,
and succeed. I will go to university,
graduate, and get a job and make
money, of course. (...) The
uneducated girl who marries early
and has kids is not the same as the
educated girl who works and
makes money….’ (17-year-old
Jordanian girl from Mafraq)
‘In the future I would like to become a chef… If I could
become independent and get a certificate, he would be
convinced and not say a word... (...) if I told anyone at
home about my dream they would laugh at me and
think I’m not serious.’ (15-year-old girl from Gaza Camp)
‘I want to study to defend people who are facing
injustice… Most of my friends have suffered injustice and
I want to defend them… A lot of them suffered from
early marriage. They were married by force…’
(16-year-old Syrian girl, Irbid)
 Jordan has one of the lowest rates of female labour force participation in the world—14%.
 Some girls aspire to defy the odds—others feel they cannot.

67. Parents shape adolescents’ own aspirations
•Parents from all nationalities prefer that their children complete their studies
and have skilled professional jobs.
They generally want their adolescents to have a more prosperous life than
their own.
Palestinian and Syrian refugee caregivers are more circumspect about what
they can realistically hope for their adolescents’ economic futures.
Where mothers have high aspirations for their daughters, it is often because
they wish their daughters to avoid the suffering of child marriage.

68. Vocational training
 In line with other research, we found Jordanians are
rarely interested in TVET—as they prefer public
sector employment.
 There are few TVET opportunities for refugee boys—
but high interest.
 Older girls’ access is restricted by their parents.
UNICEF and NRC vocational training in Zaatari camp:
©Herwig/ UNICEF/ 2017
‘What adolescents need in the camp is craft centres
and vocational training. We don’t have this here.’
(father, Gaza camp)
‘It was very good, I hope it will be repeated. (...) If you
want to work, even if at home, it is something good for
you, for yourself.’
(13-year-old Syrian girl, Amman)

69. Adolescents have limited access to assets
• Girls are 18% less likely to have had control over cash
than boys—and the gap grows as adolescents get
older.
• Adolescents living in ITS are the least likely to have
had control over cash (21%).
Only 24% of GAGE adolescents have had
control over cash in the last year
• Girls are 38% more likely to save than boys—6.1%
compared to 4.4%
• Adolescents in camps are the most likely to have
savings (6.8%).
Only 5% of GAGE adolescents have any savings
Older girls are 25% less likely to have
money they control in last month
than older boys

70. Boys are at higher risk than girls for child labour
 64% of older boys—and 11% of older girls—have worked for pay in the last year
 Most boys work intermittently: mean of 10.6 days in the last month and mean of 21.3
hours in the last week
 Due to poverty, even very young boys sometimes work for pay
 Gender norms protect most girls from child labour, except in ITS where 46% of girls have
worked—because they can work with their parents.
‘One [child] is 10 years old and the other 11 years and the last
8 years… Their bodies became very thin from the exhaustion
when they started working, …the situation is very bad here…
[My children] were severely tortured by the shepherds, they
suffered a lot. (…) My daughter, no, she didn’t work; I didn’t
let her work, because she is my only daughter, I will not
torture her with work.‘ (Mother, Syrian, Mafraq)

71. Boys’ risks vary
 66% of Syrian boys have worked for pay (vs ~53% of Jordanian and Palestinian boys – and
12% Syrian girls, and 9% Jordanian and Palestinian girls)
 Adolescents in ITS are more likely to have worked for pay—and work more hours per
week—than those in host communities and camps
 Palestinian boys make the lowest hourly wage (1.3 JOD) and the highest daily wage (8.6 JOD)
 Syrian boys are at high risk of violence in the community.
‘Sometimes, the people violate these working children in the middle of the street; they
stopped them in the roads; they said to them that they don’t have the right to work…that
they are the sons of the country and they have the right to work more than them… They also
face all kinds of harassment, dogs, even sexual harassment.’
(Makani facilitator, Zaatari camp)

72. Social protection is critical to making ends meet
‘We get the food coupon each month. My
mother buys rice, sugar, flour, margarine, oil and
tea… but for me nougat and juice are the most
important.’
(17-year-old Syrian girl, living in ITS near Amman)
 Many different actors are delivering social
protection programmes in Jordan—including the
GoJ, UNHCR, UNWRA, UNICEF, WFP, and Zakat
 Across nationalities, social protection beneficiaries
are grateful for help
‘We have the income that comes from the
national aid and there is no income from
anywhere else.’ (Father, Jordanian, Mafraq)
UNICEF and NRC vocational training in Zaatari camp: ©Herwig/
UNICEF/ 2017

73. Social protection is insufficient to meet need
‘We got the cash for about three months… I don’t know why they stopped it. Many people
had it before and after us and they didn’t stop it for them.’
(Mother, Syrian, host community in Mafraq)
 Decreased funding for the Syria crisis has led to budget cuts that have eliminated
assistance for many
‘We have the card and buy food. For example, sugar, rice, cleaning products and other
materials. When my children complain they are hungry we make a meal for them.
Sometimes potatoes, rice, zaatar and olive oil. But it’s never enough.’ (Father, Syrian, Irbid)
 The value of vouchers and cash transfers is too small
‘My daughter’s disease is not easy. Plus I had to deal with everything without getting any
support. (…) I have a health insurance exemption, but may God punish these who stopped
the exemptions.’ (Mother, Jordanian)
 There is a dire need for assistance with health care costs

74. Makani impacts on economic empowerment
1
•Makani contributes to adolescent girls' financial agency, possibly through life skills classes
and Social Innovation Lab content for older adolescents
• Older girls who attend are 40% more likely to have had money they control in the last year.
• Younger girls who attend are 143% more likely to have savings
2
•Makani is linked to less adolescent involvement in work activities, through awareness raising
with adolescents and parents re risks of child labour
• Older boys who attend Makani worked 22% fewer hours in the last week (18.2 vs 23.5).
3
•Makani twinned with social protection contributes to less involvement in work activities
• Older boys who attend Makani and receive Hajati cash transfer worked the fewest hours of all
over the last week (only 17.7).

75. Priority actions on economic empowerment
Include working adolescents in Makani and other extra-curricular programming
through extended hours and stepped-up outreach.
Incorporate financial literacy in Makani life-skills courses, so as to reach
those who miss out on the new school-based curriculum.
Expand Social Innovation Labs and volunteering opportunities to develop
teambuilding and other soft skills.
Use Makani centres to link older adolescents with vocational training courses
to help them find routes out of exploitative labour and to support them to
become creative productive contributors to strengthening the Jordanian
economy

76. Thanks is due to the following:
• UNICEF Jordan
• Mindset
• IRCKHF
• Independent researchers
• DFID
• UNHCR

77. Questions
&
Answers
A Pakistani girls in ITS near Amman @ Natalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

78. Contact Us
Dr Nicola Jones, GAGE Director
n.jones@odi.org.uk
www.gage.odi.org
@GAGE_programme
GenderandAdolescence
About GAGE:
 Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence
(GAGE) is a nine-year (2015-2024) mixed-
methods longitudinal research programme
focused on what works to support adolescent
girls’ and boys’ capabilities in the second
decade of life and beyond.
 We are following the lives of 18,000
adolescents in six focal countries in Africa,
Asia and the Middle East.