Jordan
has recently launched the 2004 National Human Development
Report. The document promotes the use of the sustainable livelihoods
approach as a tool for understanding poverty alleviation.
It includes the findings of a major process of qualitative
research into poverty which involved over 800 people from
seven diverse poor communities in Jordan. The voices and stories
of the poor are included throughout the chapters.
The
particular situation in Jordan lends itself to the use of
the SL framework, not least because of the regional vulnerability
context which, for decades, has impinged on national development
processes. The report also questions current development policies
and processes for poverty alleviation in Jordan (e.g. structural
adjustment, public sector retrenchment, privatisation, globalisation,
ITC and the knowledge economy, free trade zones, micro-finance
and micro-enterprise) and concludes that few initiatives actually
lead to enhanced and sustainable livelihoods for the poorest
and marginalised 15% of the population.
The
report provides recommendations for change and presents positive
stories of success. Responding to concerns raised in the research,
one chapter focuses on local practical experiences to help
poor people act collectively to claim their entitlements and
enjoy fully their rights. Few reports contain such detailed
case studies that illustrate the challenges of translating
“policy into practice”.
Jordan’s
NHDR was written by staff from ZENID (the Queen Zein al Sharaf
Institute for Development), which is part of JOHUD (Jordanian
Hashemite Fund for Human Development), the leading social
development NGO in Jordan. Drawing on their 28 years’
experience and outreach into the heart of the poorest communities
in Jordan, the writers of the report ensure that throughout
the text, the linkages between theory and practice are made
explicit. The report, commissioned by the Ministry of Planning
and International Co-operation in partnership with UNDP (United
Nations Development Programme) promotes a more active role
for civil society in advocating for, and with, the poor.
The document is available in English and Arabic, and is of
particular interest to development practitioners and those
working in research and teaching institutes with Arabic-speaking
colleagues and partners.
To
access the report in pdf format consult the UNDP website
http://www.undp-jordan.org/JordanHumanDevelopmentReport/tabid/81/Default.aspx
For more information on the substance of the report please
contact:
Eman Nimri (NHDR National Coordinator)
eman.n@zenid.org.jo
or
Winkie Williamson (Strategic advisor)
winkie@nets.com.jo
|
