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United Nations Development ProgrammeEvaluation OfficeOne United Nations PlazaNew York, NY 10017, USATel. (212) 906 5059, Fax (212) 906 6008Internet: http://www.undp.org/eo

ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT RESULTSE V A L U A T I O N O F U N D P C O N T R I B U T I O N JORDAN

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Evaluation Office, September 2007United Nations Development Programme

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Copyright © UNDP 2007, all rights reserved.Manufactured in the United States of America

The analysis and recommendations of this report do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe United Nations Development Programme, its Executive Board or the United NationsMember States. This is an independent publication by UNDP and reflects the views ofits authors.

Cover images: (l. to r.) Richard Nowitz/National Geographic, Bill Lyons/UNDP, SylvesterAdams/Digital Vision, Glen Allison/Photodisc

Editing and design: Suazion Inc. (NY, suazion.com) Production: A.K. Office Supplies (NY)

Team Leader El Sayed Ali Zaki

Team Members Camillia Fawzi El-Solh, Principal ConsultantTaghrid Khuri, National ConsultantKhaled Ehsan, Evaluation Office Task ManagerKarima Nehmeh, Research Assistant

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EVALUATION TEAM

ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT RESULTS: JORDAN


F O R E W O R D i

The Assessment of Development Results (ADR)of UNDP in Jordan is an independent country-level evaluation conducted by the EvaluationOffice of UNDP. The report, covering twoprogramme cycles, assesses the relevance andstrategic positioning of UNDP’s support and itscontributions to the country’s development since1998. The purpose is to generate lessons forstrengthening country-level programming and tocontribute to the organization’s effectiveness andsubstantive accountability.

Jordan has made significant developmentprogress over the last decade. The country hasachieved macroeconomic stability and transformedthe structure of its economy—now one of thestrongest in the Arab region. The country has alsointensified its efforts to make human develop-ment a national priority. Between 1997 and 2007,Jordan’s Human Development Index (HDI) rosefrom 0.715 to 0.760 (on a scale of 0-1). Despitethese achievements, however, significant regionaldisparities in human development remain.Unemployment, especially among the youth, is amajor concern. The country’s dependence on themarkets of the neighbouring countries, thescarcity of its natural resources and its highpopulation growth resulting from successivemigrations that reflect the political situation in theregion, have all proved to be major constraints onthe country’s development efforts.

Jordan’s priorities have been laid down in theNational Agenda, introduced in November 2005.More recently, the country stepped up its effortswith the Kulluna al Urdun or “We are all Jordan”initiative which provides a comprehensive policyframework for Jordan’s future development. It hasfostered extensive debate among representativesfrom Government, Parliament and civil society tohelp prioritize broader national reforms.

UNDP’s contribution in facilitating capacitydevelopment and administrative reform in the

public sector since 1998 has been significant forthe management of Jordan’s integration in theworld economy. By supporting the testing andadoption of modern management approaches,UNDP helped to enhance the technical capabilitiesof the public sector to attract foreign investmentand stronger trade and service–based relations withother countries. UNDP’s support to the Anti-Corruption Department also helped Jordan ratifythe United Nations Convention against Corruptionand establish an independent commission.

The evaluation found that UNDP’s support to thepreparation of the national Human DevelopmentReport (HDR) and the first MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) report contributedto policy dialogue, increased participation ofCSOs and NGOs in shaping public perceptionof national efforts to monitor poverty and socialsafety nets, more focused statistical research andgreater resource allocation to address regionaland gender disparities. In addition, UNDP’ssupport to the national youth strategy and actionplan, private sector development through Smalland Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and nationaltraining strategy for information and communi-cation technologies (ICT) have strengthenedlocal capacity, creating an enabling environmentof community development. In the area ofenvironment, UNDP assisted Jordan in theformulation of national frameworks and in meetingthe demands of the international environmentconventions. Key results also include conservationof the environment through income-generatinginitiatives among local communities under the Small Grants Programme of the GlobalEnvironment Facility (GEF).

The evaluation highlights some areas where UNDPneeds to do more to improve its performance.Clear exit strategies are necessary to ensuresustainability of UNDP interventions. Effectivemonitoring and evaluation of development

FOREWORD

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F O R E W O R Di i

outcomes need to be given higher priority.Greater efforts to mainstream gender and humanrights in programme interventions would improveresults. Particular attention should be given toespecially vulnerable groups in relation to povertyreduction strategies. UNDP can also support thegovernment in reaching consensus on how it canadd value in the area of decentralization.

I would like to acknowledge the work of theevaluation team composed of El Sayed Ali Zaki,team leader, Camillia Fawzi El-Solh, teamspecialist, Taghrid Khuri, national consultant,and Khaled Ehsan, the Evaluation Office teammember and task manager. We would also like tothank Karima Nehmeh for her backgroundresearch, and Kutisha Ebron and Anish Pradhanfor their administrative support.

The research and preparation of the evaluationbenefited from collaboration and openness of thestaff of the UNDP Country Office in Jordan, ledby the previous Resident Representative ChristineMcNab and the current Resident Representative,Luc Stevens. I would also like to thank the RegionalBureau for Arab States, in particular DirectorAmat Alsoswa and Kunzang Chungyalpa, Chief,

Country Operations Division, for their engagementwith the evaluation.

This report would not have been possible withoutthe commitment and support of the Governmentof Jordan. In particular, the evaluation team wouldlike to thank H.E. Maher Madadha, SecretaryGeneral, Ministry of Panning and InternationalCooperation, other government ministers, deputyministers, presidential advisors, parliamentariansand many other officials for their valuablesupport and openness in discussing the challengesfacing Jordan and UNDP’s response to them.The team is also indebted to the representativesfrom civil society and non-governmental organi-zations, donor countries, international financialinstitutions and the United Nations CountryTeam, for their insightful advice and comments.

We hope the findings and recommendations ofthis report will help UNDP to enhance its futurerole in Jordan and provide broader lessons forUNDP and partners globally.

Saraswathi MenonDirector, Evaluation Office

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Acronyms and Abbreviations iv

Executive Summary v

1. Introduction 11.1 Rationale for the Evaluation 11.2 Methodology 21.3 Constraints to Methodology 41.4 Structure of the Report 4

2. National Context and Challenges 72.1 Jordan’s National Context and Regional Geostrategic Position 72.2 Socio-Economic Development Challenges 92.3 National Initiatives to Promote Sustainable Development 112.4 Jordan and the Millennium Development Goals 132.5 Brief Overview of UNDP in Jordan 152.6 Summary and Key Messages 16

3. UNDP Strategic Options and Positioning 173.1 UNDP in Jordan 173.2 UNDP Relevance to National Priorities in Jordan 213.3 UNDP Responsiveness to Changing Country Needs and Conditions 233.4 Synergies and Linkages Enhanced by UNDP in Jordan 253.5 UNDP and Mainstreaming Gender and Human Rights in Jordan 303.6 Summary and Key Messages 32

4. UNDP Contribution to National Development Results 354.1 UNDP Programme Contribution to Major Changes at the National Level 354.2 UNDP Programme Contributions to Key Development Results 364.3. Democratic Governance 364.4 Poverty Reduction 454.5 Environment 564.6 Summary and Key Messages 63

5. Conclusions, Lessons Learned and Recommendations 655.1 Conclusions 655.2 Key Lessons Learned 705.3 Recommendations 75

AnnexesAnnex I. Terms of Reference 83Annex II. List of People Consulted 85Annex III. References 87Annex IV. UNDP and Other Financial Allocations in Jordan 97

Boxes, Figures and TablesBox 1. Key Governance Initiatives 37Box 2. Key Poverty Reduction Initiatives 47Box 3. Key Environment Initiatives 58Figure 1. Programme vs. Management Expenditures 69Table 1. Relevance of CCF and CPO to National Priorities in Jordan 19

C O N T E N T S i i i

CONTENTS

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A C R O N Y M S A N D A B B R E V I A T I O N Si v

ADR Assessment of Development ResultsAHDR Arab Human Development ReportCBO Community-based organizationCCA Common Country AssessmentCCF Country Cooperation Framework CPO Country Programme OutlineCO UNDP Country Office CSO Civil society organizationDLCG Donor/Lender Coordinating GroupEU European UnionGAFTA Greater Arab Free Trade AreaGDP Gross domestic productGEF Global Environment FacilityGTZ German Agency for Technical Cooperation (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit)ICT Information and communication technologyIMF International Monetary FundMDGs Millennium Development GoalsMOEn Ministry of EnvironmentMOPIC Ministry of Planning and International CooperationNCHR National Centre for Human RightsNEX National execution modalityNGO Non-governmental organizationNHDR National Human Development ReportOECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentQIZ Qualified Industrial ZoneRCF Regional Cooperation Framework for the Arab StatesSMEs Small and medium enterprisesUN United NationsUNAIDS The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDSUNCT United Nations Country Team UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and DevelopmentUNDAF United Nations Development Assistance FrameworkUNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for WomenUNICEF United Nations Children’s FundUNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNRC United Nations Resident CoordinatorUSAID United States Agency for International Development WTO World Trade Organization

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

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E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y v

This report analyzes the findings, conclusions andrecommendations of an independent evaluationof the United Nations Development Programme’s(UNDP) contribution to socio-economic andhuman development in Jordan over the course oftwo programme cycles during 1998–2007. ThisAssessment of Development Results (ADR) focuseson the strategic positioning of UNDP within thepolicy environment in Jordan, and assesseswhether the UNDP Country Office (CO) hasbeen able to make critical and tangible contribu-tions to development results in the country. A keygoal of the evaluation was to examine whetherUNDP CO initiatives and interventions werealigned with medium- and long-term needs andpriorities of the country as a whole. Such prioritiesinclude Jordan’s ongoing efforts to promoteeconomic liberalization and political reform andthe longer-term process of preparing the countryand its people to assume a competitive place as aknowledge economy in the global environment.

This ADR focuses on three main objectives:

1. To examine the relevance, responsiveness,effectiveness, sustainability and effect of thestrategic interventions of UNDP in terms ofaddressing the most pressing issues of poverty,governance, environmental protection, genderinequalities and human rights in Jordan.

2. To assess the developmental effectiveness of the 1998–2002 UNDP Jordan CountryCooperation Framework (CCF) and the 2003–2007 Country Programme Outline (CPO).

3. To draw lessons that could inform policiesand identify programme and policy areas wherethe activities of UNDP could be enhanced inorder to sustain a relevant contribution toJordan’s long-term development. An importantaspect of this evaluation is UNDP Jordan’sdual role as catalyst and facilitator ofdevelopment, closely linked to the resources

and expertise UNDP is able to leverage inproviding added value and quality services,and identifying opportunities as they arise.

MAIN FINDINGS

STRATEGIC POSITIONING OF UNDP IN JORDAN

Thematic areas addressed in UNDP Jordan’scountry programmes remained consistent in boththe 1998–2002 CCF and the 2003–2007 CPOcycles. These focused on the three main nationalpriorities: governance, poverty reduction, andenvironmental protection and conservation.

Highlights of the 1998–2002 CCF demonstrateUNDP Jordan’s alignment with such priorities:

� Governance: Special emphasis was placedon capacity-building in the public sector andcapacity-building for the management ofJordan’s integration into the world economy;

� Poverty reduction: Special emphasis wasplaced on social productivity in job-relatedskills training and expanding the government’ssocial safety net;

� Environmental protection: Support wasprovided to the government, including theefforts of the Global Environment Facility(GEF) and other environmental projects inimplementing the government’s NationalEnvironment Action Plan. Because of thesignificant amount of resources required,UNDP left major inter-ventions to otherdonors, such as the United States Agency forInternational Development (USAID) and theGerman Agency for Technical Cooperation(GTZ). UNDP played a supporting role innational efforts to address water shortage andmanagement issues by helping to create thecentral water database, and by focusing oncapacity building and institutional strength-ening of government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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� Information and communication technology:ICT was integrated mainly into povertyreduction and governance programmes duringthe course of the CCF in mid-2000.

Analysis of development challenges from the2002 Common Country Assessment (CCA) andapproaches outlined by the 2003–2007 UnitedNations Development Assistance Framework(UNDAF) were incorporated into the 2003–2007 CPO. Areas of intervention remained thesame, reflecting ongoing national priorities in theareas of governance, poverty reduction and socialdevelopment, and environmental protection.However, approaches to interventions becamemore focused (i.e., in line with evolving nationalchallenges and needs, and in response to evaluations of the CCF). The CPO emphasizedmainstreaming gender and promoting humanrights-based development in all activities; it alsohighlighted the goal of creating synergy betweenupstream and downstream activities in order toeffectively contribute to development outcomes.

Highlights of the 2003–2007 CPO demonstrateUNDP Jordan’s alignment with national prioritiesand include:

� Community development: Building on anetwork of Jordan Information TechnologyCommunity Centres throughout the Kingdom;integrating ICT, up-scaling and linking local efforts;

� Enhanced regional development anddecentralization: Strengthening local capacityand creating an enabling environment forcommunity development; and

� Support to administrative reform: Buildingon previous successes (such as the Aid-Coordination Unit, the database at theDepartment of Statistics); creating anenabling environment for development,including direct foreign investment andstronger trade and service-based relationswith other countries.

In particular, the CPO emphasized the majorcontributions of UNDP to poverty reduction and

governance, which most closely reflect theUNDP mandate. These areas are also whereUNDP enjoys a comparative institutionaladvantage. For this reason, and because of limitedUNDP resources, support for environmentalprotection—including water management andother large-scale activities—was limited toassisting in local-level planning and raisingawareness through community developmentefforts. Other agencies with more resources wereresponsible for implementing the larger projectsin the country.

The CPO clearly demonstrated the dual role ofUNDP as a catalyst and facilitator of development,in line with both the organization’s institutionalstrengths and the country’s national priorities,particularly the recent Government of JordanNational Economic and Social Development Plan2004–2006. During the course of the CPO cycle, UNDP Jordan also strengthened its mediaand advocacy role, hiring a media specialist forthis purpose.

In terms of relevance and responsiveness toemerging national needs and priorities, severalobservations emerge from the two UNDPprogrammes under review:

� Projects implemented under the 1998–2002CCF cycle may have been too numerous andscattered, and were often too focused on capacitybuilding and training without strategicallylinking these efforts to longer-term institu-tional and organizational development;

� Both programmes were relatively strong inthe governance sector, but weaker in respondingto and having an effect on poverty reduction;

� Through overall community development,the CPO cycle was more coherently designedwithin a strategic approach to issues such aspoverty reduction and environmental protection.It also demonstrated—through both up- anddownstream activities—the integral linksbetween these two areas, and more generally,with governance;

� Although decentralization has remained amain focus and priority of the Government

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of Jordan, neither the CCF nor the CPOincorporated this goal into project activities;

� Mainstreaming of both gender and humanrights remains somewhat incomplete inUNDP Jordan country programmes;

� Developing and articulating an overall strategicvision underpinning UNDP programmes inJordan would be helpful in demonstratingthe strategic positioning of UNDP, both withregard to medium- and long-term goals, aswell as in support of Jordan’s achievement ofa strong knowledge-based economy; and

� Challenges remain in enhancing UNDPresponsiveness to national needs—as voicedby other sectors of the society, such as civilsociety organizations (CSOs) and NGOs—and in supporting the government in encour-aging and promoting citizen participation inthe articulation of their needs and thedevelopment of their communities.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF UNDP TODEVELOPMENT RESULTS IN JORDAN

While it is difficult to attribute major changes at the national level exclusively to UNDPinterventions, both the CCF and the CPO cyclesdemonstrate several areas where UNDP, incollaboration with national partners, has madecertain contributions to development results inJordan. In particular, UNDP has:

� Taken the lead in establishing the Donor/Lender Coordinating Group (DLCG) tocoordinate aid between bilateral and multi-lateral donors and the government throughthe Resident Coordinator’s office;

� Played a critical catalyst role in attracting andleveraging other donor support to contributeto Jordan’s development;

� Played a pivotal role coordinating developmentinterventions with other United Nations(UN) agencies as a leader in the UnitedNations Country Team (UNCT);

� Enjoyed a good reputation and good relationswith the Government of Jordan as a politi-cally neutral agency;

� Been instrumental in supporting the govern-ment in strengthening the Ministry of Planningand International Cooperation (MOPIC) as thegovernment agency responsible for coordi-nating and planning development initiatives;

� Been an effective facilitator in supporting theGovernment of Jordan in undertaking orjoining regional development initiatives,particularly in the critical area of environ-mental protection and management;

� Made inroads in inviting and promoting theparticipation of CSOs and NGOs at thecommunity level; and

� Worked to support the government in develop-ing closer, more effective and sustainedpartnerships with the private sector.

KEY LESSONS LEARNED

A number of key issues point to lessons learnedand emerging opportunities.

EFFECTIVENESS OF UNDP STRATEGY

UNDP Jordan’s concentration on three mainthematic areas remains closely in line withnational priorities. Compared to the earlier CCF cycle, the CPO was more coherentlyconceptualized to highlight integral linkagesbetween poverty reduction, good governance andenvironmental protection. This coherence wasalso reflected in more strategic attention to thecomparative institutional advantages and strengthsof UNDP as a catalyst and facilitator of develop-ment initiatives, which was most pronounced andsuccessful in the area of governance. UNDP hasbeen effective in contributing to the government’scapacity to monitor and report progress towardthe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), towhich the Government of Jordan is fully committed.

In leveraging funds and promoting developmentgoals, UNDP draws on its leadership role increating partnerships between various govern-ment agencies, donors and other stakeholders.However, demonstrating conceptual coherence

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may not always translate into strategic coherenceat the project level. Challenges and constraintsemanate from the complex issues facing the country,as well as from the interests and priorities ofother players, including the government, bilateraldonors and, in particular, those with moreextensive resources to invest in Jordan. Effortsmay still be needed to link the objectives andoutcomes of specific interventions. UNDP hasyet to expand collaborative efforts and partnershipswith CSOs and NGOs that are not designatedamong the official organizations.1 Enhancingcitizen participation in development also remainsa challenge. Other challenges remain in operational-izing and mainstreaming the cross-cutting issuesof gender and human rights into actualprogrammes and projects.

EXIT STRATEGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY

UNDP Jordan does not explicitly integrate exitand sustainability strategies into programme andproject design in a consistent manner.2 This is due to many factors, including the relativelysmall contributions of UNDP alongside a rangeof government and other donors. However, thepotential for ensuring the sustainability ofinterventions is there, especially given the closeworking relationship of UNDP and MOPIC, themain UNDP government partner in Jordan.

The oversight of development activities byMOPIC demonstrates that the Government ofJordan is already in a position to adopt and expandprocesses and outcomes of successful projects.The self-defined role of UNDP primarily as acatalyst and facilitator of development helpsfocus its strengths and contributions mainly in terms of policy dialogue, policy advice andadvocacy (where the notion of an exit strategy or sustainability is a more of a qualitative consid-eration), and in demonstration of successful pilotor small-scale projects (where up-scaling, and

hence, sustaining these interventions, is perhapsmore feasible).

PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION

In recent years, the Jordan CO has done anexcellent job of strengthening staff capacity,mainly through courses and training in theEnglish language, presentation and communicationskills, and gender mainstreaming. Re-profilingthe UNDP CO and implementing regularmeetings involving both programme and operationsstaff has contributed to strengthening intra-officecommunications. Effective implementation ofthe in-house learning management system hasgenerally strengthened CO staff management,communication and leadership skills. However,there remain some concerns about linking theseadvances to further training and capacitydevelopment in strategic thinking as part ofinstitutionalizing a more holistic approach toprogramme development.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

UNDP Jordan is realizing the implications ofinadequate monitoring and evaluation systems,which are indispensable tools in planning andprogramming. This is not a problem exclusive toUNDP, as it also characterizes operations in theUN, MOPIC and other development agencies.During the 1998–2002 CCF cycle, references tomanagement arrangements for monitoring andevaluation were limited. In the 2003–2007 CPO,a plan for monitoring and evaluation throughoutthe programme cycle was developed. However,monitoring and evaluation have not been fullyintegrated into the management function ateither the programme or project levels. Efforts toundertake joint monitoring exercises withUNDP partners and integrate these into evalua-tions of outcomes and impact would be valuable.In addition, special attention needs to be focused

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Yv i i i

1 NGOs founded by royal decree.2 Despite some instances of implementing a clear exit strategy (e.g., the Balqa project, the Department of Statistics

Strengthening Project, the National Human Development Report and MDG reporting processes), it is fair to say that itis not the case with all—or some of the largest—programmes.

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on adopting inclusive approaches and strengtheningnational counterparts’ abilities in this regard.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

Keeping in mind the achievements, challengesand lessons learned through UNDP interventionsduring the 1998–2002 CCF and the 2003–2007CPO cycles, and mindful of Jordan’s declaredobjective of preparing and strengthening thecountry’s institutions and people to play acompetitive role as a knowledge economy in theglobal environment, this evaluation presentsspecific recommendations for enhancing thestrategic positioning and contribution of UNDPJordan to development results. Key recommenda-tions include:

STRENGTHEN THE STRATEGIC POSITIONING OF UNDP

� Strengthen the strategic positioning andimage of UNDP Jordan as a neutral playerthrough innovative steps to promote effectivedialogue and partnerships with a range of CSOs, private-sector organizations and local communities;

� Strengthen the comparative and institutionaladvantage of UNDP by linking projects andactivities with regional initiatives of theRegional Cooperation Framework (RCF),such as the Programme on Governance inthe Arab Region and others, as well as withrelevant South-South Cooperation networks;

� Strengthen development results through acoherent strategy and holistic approach tointersections and overlap in the threethematic areas; design specific programmeand project interventions on this basis, takinginto account national and local-level effortsto promote gender equality;

� Enhance the strategic focus of UNDP onimproving human development in the countrythrough identifying connections betweenunemployment and poverty, recognizing theeffect of economic liberalization through theestablishment of Qualified Industrial Zones

(QIZs), and linking these issues as part of acomprehensive human development strategy;

� Strengthen UNDP strategic position, compar-ative advantage and contribution to nationaldevelopment results by systematic, gender-sensitive and consensus-building approachesto address human rights issues, involving allrelevant stakeholders in the society;

� Proceed with exploration of the main develop-ment needs identified in the 2004 JordanNational Human Development Report as aprogramming guide and tool in future UNDPinterventions; translate and operationalize intoconcrete programme and project interventionsand synergies the conceptual dynamism andpoints of integration of the report acrossMDGs, Arab Human Development Reports(AHDRs), UNDAF and country programmes;

� Distinguish between disseminating informa-tion through media and outreach, and advocacywith policy makers, designed to promptaction in order to precipitate change (theseare not identical);

� Strategize media messages, advocacy initiativesand campaigns to complement each other, andto reflect and strengthen UNDP institutionaladvantages, particularly the human rights-based approach underlying the three practiceareas of the UNDP country programme in Jordan;

� Utilize successful outcomes from UNDPinterventions to design messages in mediaand advocacy campaigns, for example,the global and national UNDP HumanDevelopment Reports, AHDRs, and MDG-related interventions and activities;

� Promote the catalyst role and comparativeadvantage of UNDP as a knowledge broker andas a neutral agency supporting the humanrights-based approach to development; and

� Leverage the strategic position of UNDP inthe United Nations Country Team and theDonor/Lender Coordinating Group forenhancing dialogue among key donors to

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mobilize resources, harmonizing programmingpriorities and funding, and maximizingdevelopment results.

STRENGTHEN UNDP CONTRIBUTION TODEVELOPMENT RESULTS

� Develop strategies and approaches for moreeffective links between up- and downstreamlevels through an explicitly formulated,holistic, rights-based approach to tacklingenvironmental concerns linked to intendedoutcomes in the areas of governance andpoverty alleviation;

� Connect, at the outset of a project orprogramming area, the exploration of exitstrategies with strategic entry points forinstitutional and capacity development;

� Consider and integrate options for sustainability(e.g., adoption by national counterparts) intoproject design, through techniques such ascontext-specific risk analysis;

� Explore opportunities for joint evaluations,given that many programmes and projectsare co-financed, further adopted and/orexpanded by various donors and partners.This could be coordinated by the DLCG and would support the intent of the UNDAF exercise;

� Integrate effective monitoring and evaluationmechanisms into programme and projectdesign and implementation in order to assessdevelopment results—i.e. outputs and outcomes;

� Conduct assessments or outcome evaluationsat early stages, testing the level of sustainabil-ity, identifying areas requiring furtherimprovement—such as strengthening therights-based approach to gender main-streaming and the links with poverty andgovernance interventions—and identifyingbest practices in order to inform strategicdecision-making for future interventions.Such assessments are indispensable forproper planning, budgeting and implementa-tion processes that are conducive to achievingexpected outcomes and impact; and

� Correlate evaluative evidence to selectedvariables that determine the nature andintensity of intermediate and longer-termresults and type of recipients, in order toprovide information on: the size of invest-ment and implications of cost-sharing;targeted as opposed to non-targetedapproaches; effective targeting in terms ofpoverty and gender sensitivity; outputs andoutcomes; political commitment; andpartnerships and resources.

STRENGTHEN UNDP SUPPORT IN THE THREETHEMATIC AREAS OF NATIONAL PRIORITY

Democratic governance

� Support the training of an informed andresponsible citizenry that participates inaddressing the challenges of human develop-ment and democratic governance that facethe country. Such support should incorporatemore systematic attention to the opinionsand needs of diverse population groups,including women and youth. In order tostrengthen civil society—including NGOs,CSOs, the media sector, other professionalnetworks and stakeholders—this supportshould be part of a comprehensive strategythat integrates a more systematic, participa-tory, gender sensitive and consensus-buildingapproach to human rights issues;

� Support decentralization by demonstrating,through community projects, results that canbe linked to larger efforts at the national leveland by promoting linkages between political,social and environmental interventionswithin and across UNDP thematic areas.Where relevant, UNDP should promotegreater synergy with governance initiatives ofother UN agencies and donors. Results ofsuch efforts should be used to engage inpolitical dialogue and policy advice in orderto support the Government of Jordan inamending legislation to fully decentralize,rather than occasionally delegate, authority;

� Identify strategic approaches in judicialreform—such as the juvenile justice system—

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that stress institutional strengthening andpromotion of access to justice. UNDP caneffectively leverage its comparative advantagein policy dialogue, advocacy, and as facilitatorin order to support the government inrevising the laws and legislation that hindergenuine judicial reform. Such reformincludes legislative changes to grant fullindependence to the National Centre forHuman Rights (NCHR) and interventionsto strengthen human and financial resourcesfor NCHR to fulfil its mandate;

� Support the Government of Jordan inbuilding the capacity of governorate-levelministries and municipalities, paying particularattention to long-term organizationaldevelopment and institution-building, notjust training of select ministry staff (e.g.,budgeting and accounting, service provision).UNDP needs to enhance its support to theDepartment of Statistics, MOPIC, theMinistry of Environment (MOEn) anddepartments of the central government, sothat these agencies can better utilize andshare data and information on poverty,unemployment, household income, etc., withgovernmental agencies and NGOs at thelocal level; and

� Support national-level efforts to improvecoverage and efficiency of public campaignson legal education to enhance peoples’knowledge of their rights, based on approachesthat are sensitive to poverty and gender. Suchefforts should be used to improve criminalinvestigation techniques, further train thepolice and judges, and promote citizensafety—for example, to sensitize the policeand judiciary in addressing violence againstwomen, including honour killings.

Poverty reduction

� Support the Government of Jordan and relevantstakeholders in strategizing and designingpoverty reduction interventions relevant tospecific geographical and socio-economiccontexts through human development

perspectives (i.e., principles of inclusion,equity and participation, among otheraspects). For example, needs and priorities ofresidents in outlying rural areas will bedifferent from those prevailing in Zarqa, adisadvantaged urban area with high povertylevels. This should entail incorporatinganalyses of and attention to interests, needs,priorities and participation of diversesegments of the population, includingattention to mainstreaming gender andhuman rights as integral to project designand implementation;

� Demonstrate, through pilot and small-scaleprojects, synergy between interventions inpoverty reduction and results in otherthematic and cross-cutting areas in order tosupport the government in creating thenecessary synergies between poverty reduction,job creation, educational reform, vocationaltraining, strengthening of the private sectorand deepening partnerships with government;strengthen linkages with the cross-cuttingissues of youth and gender;

� Support and strengthen the capacity of thegovernment and NGOs in accurate analysis ofcauses and consequences of patterns of povertyand unemployment so as to guide interventions;

� Strengthen capacity at community-levelNGOs and CSOs in order to design andimplement projects. Support NGOs andCSOs in linking poverty reductions projectsand interventions with interventions inenvironmental protection, conservation andmanagement, as in the case of, for example,poverty reduction and job creation throughthe promotion of eco-diversity. UNDP canalso help strengthen engagement betweenthe Government of Jordan, NGOs, CSOsand the private sector in order to encouragepartnerships between small and mediumenterprises (SMEs) and the government inorder to prepare a legal and economicframework for expanding SMEs;

� Build exit strategies and long-term sustain-ability into project design. For example, link

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capacity-building or training of communitymembers or CSO staff to long-term institu-tional development and sustainability; integrateleveraging of other donor resources, includinggovernment, in order to foster nationalownership, continuity and replication; and

� Support the government’s economic liberal-ization and reform in order to incorporateattention to benefits and drawbacks of QIZs and other economic initiatives, byaddressing specific legislative, economic,social and environmental needs and prioritiesin this sector, paying particular attention toincorporating gender issues and patterns ofemployment, and commitment to human rights.

Environmental sustainability

� Strengthen policy dialogue, advocacy andsupport to the Government of Jordan, inorder to raise the priority of an area that hashad minimal government cost-sharing todate, but which has distinct implications forlong-term sustainability of current initiatives;

� Support the government in ensuring moreeffective cooperation between relevantcentral government ministries—in particular,the Ministry of Energy and MineralResources, including its National EnergyResearch Centre—and government agenciesat the governorate and municipal levels;

� Strengthen efforts within the UNDPprogramme and at government and non-governmental levels to adopt a more holisticapproach to creating synergies amongenvironment-related interventions implementedby various UN agencies and bilateral donors inJordan, as well as between and across thematicareas. This would require demonstrating, in

small-scale or pilot projects at thedownstream level, the results of a holisticapproach to interventions in support ofenvironmental sustainability and humandevelopment, such as in capacity-buildinginitiatives as a means of tackling poverty;

� Strengthen support to national efforts tomainstream environmental protection intoeconomic and political legislation aimed atpromoting economic liberalization andstrengthening the role of the private sector in economic development. UNDP shouldleverage its capacity in communication, outreachand advocacy to work with governmentagencies and non-governmental stakeholdersin promoting citizen awareness, commitmentand participation in environmental protectionand the long-term behavioural change neededin this area. UNDP projects should alsoincorporate attention to and participation ofdiverse population segments, especially womenand youth, to strengthen community organi-zations to implement projects that directlybenefit each community’s residents;

� Support and strengthen the attention ofrelevant stakeholders to effectively linkingnational efforts in order to address the watercrisis with interventions in support ofbiodiversity and development of alternativeenergy sources, such as biogas; assist nationalwater authorities in developing strategicallycoherent approaches to environmentalsustainability; and

� Support the government and non-governmentalsectors in mainstreaming environmentalprotection issues into the implementation ofthe national tourism strategy.

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C H A P T E R 1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N 1

1.1 RATIONALE FOR THE EVALUATION

The Assessment of Development Results (ADR)in Jordan was conducted from April to September2006. It covers UNDP country programmecycles from 1998 to 2006, including the 1998–2002 Country Cooperation Framework (CCF)and the 2003–2007 Country Programme Outline(CPO). This ADR is part of a series of countryevaluations led by the UNDP Evaluation Office, designed to capture and demonstrateevaluative evidence of UNDP contributions to a country’s development.

The scope of this ADR comprises an assessmentof the strategic positioning of UNDP in Jordanand an evaluation of development results,including an assessment of changes in Jordan’sspecific development conditions and the abilityof UNDP to strategically position itself in orderto make a contribution to these changes. TheADR assesses the added value that UNDPcontributes to addressing development needs inJordan by reviewing the CCF and CPO programmesfor: (a) relevance in relation to national needs andpriorities, (b) responsiveness to changes in thedevelopment context and, (c) synergy with otherdonors’ and partners’ development initiatives.

Specifically, this evaluation assesses the effective-ness of UNDP support in leveraging the currentand previous national development agendas withreference to the following outcomes:

� National efforts to enhance accountabilityand responsiveness of local authorities;

� National human resource development;

� Mainstreaming gender and human rightsinto national interventions, policies and plans;

� Support to pro-poor policies and job creation strategies;

� Integrating environmental policies ingovernment planning; and

� Establishing synergies between governancestrategies and environmental programmes.

Key evaluation criteria used to assess developmentresults include relevance, effectiveness, sustainabilityand impact. The focus on development results,achievements, and constraints of UNDP inJordan is based on an in-depth assessment ofoutcomes, lessons learned and recommendationsarising from programmatic interventions byUNDP in the key thematic areas of governance,social development and poverty reduction, andenvironmental preservation during the periodsunder review. The purpose is to draw lessons that could inform policies and guide UNDPinterventions in order to effectively contribute toJordan’s long-term development.

Jordan is a middle-income country that has overthe years achieved a degree of economic stability,even as it continues to face internal and regionaleconomic and social challenges. For many years,the country has enjoyed relative peace in a regionoverwhelmed by war and confrontation. With its environmental vulnerabilities, high rate ofpopulation growth, pockets of increased povertyand unfulfilled demand for viable employmentopportunities, the government has strengthenedits efforts to address emerging socio-economicand political challenges, most notably in the areasof governance and institutional modernization.UNDP has long been a valuable partner in Jordan’sdevelopment, lending knowledge, policy analysisand technical expertise to the key practice areasunderpinning Jordan’s development process—governance, poverty and the environment.

The ADR considers development challengesconfronting Jordan and raises key issues with

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION


C H A P T E R 1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N2

direct bearing on the strategic positioning ofUNDP in the country. These include thefollowing questions:

� Is there the required compatibility betweenUNDP strategies and programmes and Jordan’snational priorities and needs?

� How well do UNDP initiatives respond tonational aspirations and socio-economic andpolitical commitments as articulated by thegovernment, civil society organizations (CSOs),the private sector and other stakeholders?

� If there has been any divergence, was itaddressed in the recent past? What are theprospects for the future?

� How can the government be supported to betterarticulate its strategic options and choices?

� Did UNDP contribute to mobilizingresources and partnerships within the donorcommunity in order to address key develop-ment issues in the country?

� How did UNDP perform relative to the setof objectives of the country programmes?

� Did UNDP establish relevant performance-based systems and approaches in its operations?

� Are there mechanisms for reliable measure-ment and evaluation of outputs and outcomes?

� What role would or should UNDP opt for inthe future?

� Which future strategic partnerships shouldbe sought or further developed on the basisof previous experiences?

� How can UNDP integrate gender andhuman rights into policy areas and programmatic interventions?

� How can UNDP contribute more effectivelyto enhancing local communities’ capabilities?

Jordan’s persisting development challenges, furtherelaborated in Chapter 2, are clearly outlined in

the 2006–2015 National Agenda. These are alsoillustrated in direct government initiatives thataddress economic and social development, suchas the National Economic and Social DevelopmentPlan 2004–2006. The increasingly open atmosphereof debate within the political leadership on arange of social and political issues has creatednew entry points that are favourable to theparticipation of the international cooperationsystem in Jordan’s political and governance issues.

As the ADR demonstrates, there is need toredefine the national programme in light ofpressing economic and social challenges, and tostrengthen national development results ofUNDP programmatic interventions. As UNDPcontinues to work on a new strategy with its UN partners—through the Common CountryAssessment/United Nations DevelopmentAssistance Framework (CCA/UNDAF)—andbegins the process of developing its 2008–2012country programme in Jordan, the key objectivesof this corporate evaluation are to ascertainwhether UNDP is making a real difference interms of its contribution to national developmentresults and what needs to be done to makeUNDP efforts more relevant, strategic andeffective in the future.

1.2 METHODOLOGY3

The ADR methodology is based on the UNDPcorporate results-oriented approach to evidencecollection and analysis. A key element of thisapproach is triangulation—which encompassesperception, documentary evidence and validation—throughout the entire evaluation process.Perceptions suggest hypotheses to be tested; theyare drawn from discussions and interviews withgovernment partners during scoping missions inthe field, discussions with non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs), CSOs and other stake-holders. Documentary evidence reviewed includescountry programme frameworks, evaluationreports, mid-term assessments, project progress

3 For more information about the ADR methodology, including issues such as criteria used for consultations, interviewsand project site visits, please visit: www.undp.org/eo/documents/ADR/framework/ADR_Guide.pdf.



reports, as well as reports published by other keydonors. Additionally, validation of assessments isachieved by the review of relevant nationalstudies and reports, direct observation duringfield visits and review of other relevant qualitativeand quantitative resources as necessary.

1.2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature review undertaken during thisevaluation included:

� A thorough review of all relevant documents,reports and studies from UNDP, theGovernment of Jordan, other partners andinternational donors such as the United StatesAgency for International Development(USAID), the German Agency for TechnicalCooperation (GTZ), the European Union(EU), the World Bank, the InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF), and the IslamicDevelopment Bank, as well as brochures fromNGOs, CSOs and government departments;

� An analysis of strengths, weaknesses, optionsand threats of UNDP Jordan was undertakenduring the scoping mission; and

� An analysis of the UNDP Strategic ResultsFramework and the Multi-Year FundingFramework, including some outputs andoutcome results.

1.2.2 IN-DEPTH LOCAL RESEARCH

In-depth local research was designed to: (a)obtain evaluative evidence on UNDP progresstowards intended results from secondary sources,taking into account macro-economic policies andstrategies (i.e., validation); and (b) illuminate theviews on UNDP interventions among relevantcommunity-based stakeholders in Jordan, focusingon how and why intended results were or werenot achieved during the current and previousUNDP programme cycles (i.e., perception).

In addition, UNDP commissioned a localresearch firm, Analyseize Research, to collect

qualitative and quantitative information throughfocus group discussions with programme benefi-ciaries and other groups not directly connectedwith UNDP projects. The focus group discussionstudy was designed to independently complementinformation gathered in the course of conductingthis evaluation, and to validate findings onUNDP development results. Approximately 143people (with equal number of males and females)from various governorates and locations inJordan took part in this qualitative research studythrough 12 focus group discussion sessions.4

A National Adviser was hired by the EvaluationOffice to closely monitor the desk research andfocus group discussion processes, and to providesubstantive inputs.

1.2.3 ADR MISSION INTERVIEWS

Extensive interviews, meetings and discussionswere undertaken with key stakeholders in Jordanthat included:

� Meetings and discussions with governmentofficials, policy makers, politicians, andrepresentatives of civil society and the media,regarding their perception of UNDP and itsactivities, interaction, coordination, programmemanagement and operational capacity,responsiveness, advocacy and leadershiproles, as well as information on outputs andany sense of outcomes they may have;

� Meetings with senior representatives of UNagencies, bilateral and multilateral donors;

� Comments and queries from the public onthe role, performance and advocacy ofUNDP Jordan;

� Brainstorming and in-depth discussions withUNDP programme and project managers;

� Meetings with selected experts, includingrepresentatives of national, civil society andprivate organizations;

� Review and assessment of selected past andcurrent projects within the thematic areas of

4 Details about the research sample segmentation and key findings of the study can be accessed at www.undp.org/eo/documents/ADR/ADR_report/JordanCountryStudy.pdf.


C H A P T E R 1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N4

governance, social development povertyreduction, and environmental conservation.The assessments were intended to reflect onperformance relative to: coverage andrelevance of the programme to target area,needs and priorities; effectiveness andefficiency on the basis of the opportunity costfor alternative means and timely outputs;coherence as to consistency with UNDPactivities, as well as with those of otherdonors and the government in meetingnational goals; partnership and aid coordina-tion as well as the opportunities for creationof partnership up-scaling and replications ofsuccessful interventions; and impacts,outcomes and sustainability of the projectsand programmes.

1.2.4 SELECTED PROJECT VISITS

The ADR mission also undertook field visits toselect representative programmes and projectsinvolving UNDP, the government and broad-based participation of the public. The field visitscovered four projects—the Dana eco-tourismproject, the Dana Nature Reserve, the Aqaba-Special Economic Zone Authority and theKnowledge Centres. During the field visits, themission met with the Aqaba Port authority,officials and members of select Aqaba CSOs,including those involved in the Aqaba MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) project.The missionalso met with various groups and programmecooperatives financed under the Small GrantsProgramme of the Global Environment Facility(GEF) in Dana, and beneficiaries and trainers ofthe community Knowledge Centres.

1.3 CONSTRAINTS TO METHODOLOGY

The evaluation mission encountered somemethodological constraints, summarized below.

� Scarcity of empirical or quantitative dataforced the team to depend on informedqualitative judgement of team members andinformants (i.e., perception).

� Lack of built-in monitoring and evaluationsystems at programme and project levels, as

well as the absence of clear evaluative criteria,hindered the assessment of outcomes andvalidation of results.

� Limited availability of evaluation reportsassessing performance also had implicationsfor validating information. Available reportstypically evaluated specific programmes orcovered only part of a programme cycle.

� Evaluation studies and reports issued byvarious stakeholders and partners had varyingpurposes, some of which diverged from thepurposes of this evaluation.

� The 2003–2007 CPO programme cycle is stillongoing, as it was at the time of this evaluation.

� The level of UNDP financial contribution isrelatively limited compared to other donors,which made it difficult to attribute develop-ment results to specific UNDP interventions.

� The financial procedures of UNDP partnersare different from those of UNDP, whichoperates on three-year Indicative Planningcycles, while most partners annualize. Thisrendered the assessments of results andoutcomes difficult.

1.4 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT

Chapter 2 assesses the national context anddevelopment challenges facing Jordan over recentyears. It examines how Jordan’s geopoliticalposition contributes to the country’s vulnerabilityand affects its development process. It outlinessocial and economic development challenges, aswell as government policies, interventions andstrategies in national human development.Jordan’s commitment to achieving the MDGsand its achievements to date are also discussed, asare the country’s efforts to mainstream genderconcerns, integrate information and communicationtechnology (ICT) into education and trainingopportunities, and reform public institutions tobe more effective in addressing development needs.This chapter provides a brief outline of UNDPactivities in Jordan and ends with a summary ofkey development challenges facing the country.



Chapter 3 elaborates on the strategic positioningand programming relevance of UNDP in Jordan.It assesses UNDP response to national prioritiesin the two country programmes under review, aswell as in these programmes’ links with UNDAFand the MDGs. This chapter evaluates UNDPsynergy in managing key partnerships andassessing challenges and constraints thatinfluence the comparative advantage of UNDP inJordan. Key findings are once again summarized.

Chapter 4 evaluates UNDP contribution todevelopment results by examining the mainoutcomes under the two country programmes inthe thematic areas of democratic governance,poverty reduction and the environment. Resultsof integrating cross-cutting concerns, mainlythose related to gender and human rights, are also

assessed to the extent of available information.This chapter considers development results interms of effectiveness, sustainability and impact,as well as related issues pertaining to programmemanagement and operational capacity of UNDPin Jordan. The chapter concludes by highlightingthe importance of monitoring and evaluation forassessing development results. Key findings aresummarized, pointing to lessons learned andoutlining recommendations for the future.

Chapter 5 synthesizes information, evidence andanalysis from the preceding chapters so as tosummarize the main findings, outline lessonslearned and present recommendations and avenuesto improve strategic positioning of UNDP inJordan, and to contribute to development resultsmore effectively.


C H A P T E R 2 . N A T I O N A L C O N T E X T A N D C H A L L E N G E S 7

2.1 JORDAN’S NATIONAL CONTEXT ANDREGIONAL GEOSTRATEGIC POSITION

Jordan is a small country with a total land area of89,300 square kilometres. Desert and semi-desertareas dominate its topography, and a narrowcoastline stretches on the tip of the Red Sea.Only 7.8 percent of the total land is arable, andannual rainfall does not exceed 200 millimetres.Jordan is one of the most water-deficientcountries in the world. Water resources areconstantly depleted as recharge falls short ofannual extraction from aquifers. The country hasno proven oil reserves or natural gas, limiteddeposits of phosphates and potash, and virtuallyno other natural resources.

In 2005, Jordan’s population was estimated at 5.6million and characterized by a relatively highdependency ratio; around 59–61 percent of thepopulation was less than 25 years old. Theestimated annual population growth rate of 3.9percent in 1998 fell to 3.7 percent by 2003,further declining to an estimated 2.5 percent by2006.5 Occasional growth of the country’spopulation cannot be described in terms of agrowth rate; rather, these have been abruptinfluxes resulting from a number of regionalconflicts. For instance, Jordanians returninghome after the Gulf War in 1991 and the civilwar in Lebanon (1975-1990) resulted in abruptpopulation increases. This not only affectsdevelopment efforts, but also makes planningextremely difficult, because the level of populationin a country with limited natural resources has serious implications for socio-economicdevelopment, poverty reduction and environ-mental sustainability.

2.1.1 POLITICAL SYSTEM

Jordan is a constitutional monarchy with executivepower vested in the King, who exercises hisauthority through an appointed Council ofMinisters. The legislative structure consists of theChamber of Deputies elected by popular voteand the Senate or Chamber of Notablesappointed by the King. Legislation is initiated bythe government and ratified by both chambers.

Political parties are legal, though membershiptends to be overshadowed by tribal and familyaffiliations. Parties generally do not have thepower to influence major political decisions,which remain in the hands of the King. Anongoing debate over women’s quota in theParliament, introduced in 1997, reflects entrenchedattitudes towards female political participation.Civil institutions, including NGOs, are emergingand growing in number, with some of themunder the patronage of the royal family andprofessional associations.

Jordan is divided into 12 governorates, each headedby an appointed governor. In 1989, the governmentbegan to address the imperatives of decentralizationas part of reducing public-sector dominance ofthe economy and service delivery. This proceededalong with efforts to promote the participation ofthe private sector in economic activities. Centralto these efforts were capacity-building of localinstitutions and diversification of local incomesources so as to increase their autonomy.

To consolidate and rationalize the decentralizationand democratization processes, the governmentis considering the establishment of three regions,each of which would include a specific number of

Chapter 2

NATIONAL CONTEXT AND CHALLENGES

5 See The Millennium Development Goals: Jordan Report 2004 (MOPIC and UNDP, 2004), 9. Also see Food andAgriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) STAT, www.fao.org and http://www.encarta.msn.com.


C H A P T E R 2 . N A T I O N A L C O N T E X T A N D C H A L L E N G E S8

municipalities that are run by self-elected bodies.It is anticipated that these measures would enhancelocal participation in policy decision-making,which directly affects people’s lives and givesthem more control over the management ofresources at their disposal, thus increasingcapabilities for addressing social and economicdevelopment needs at the community level.

2.1.2 ECONOMIC STATUS

Jordan has remained a relatively stable countrydespite political upheavals in the region,emanating principally from the unresolved Israel-Palestine conflict and wars in the borderingcountry of Iraq. Nonetheless, Jordan’s geostrate-gic position and its prospects for economicgrowth and sustainable development have beenseverely affected by external shocks. The latterrange from the influx of Palestinians—and morerecently, Iraqis—to volatility in oil prices,uncertain trade relations with nearby countries,unpredictable fluctuations in remittances fromJordanian workers in the Gulf and other develop-ments related to regional stability.

Jordan is highly dependent on foreign aid, muchof which comes from oil-producing countries inthe form of remittances from Jordanian workersin the Gulf and official Arab aid. This has led toJordan being referred to as “the world’s only oileconomy without oil.”6 Aid from donor countriesis also significant: Net official developmentassistance disbursement, as a percentage of grossdomestic product (GDP), increased from 5.3percent in 1999 to 12.5 percent in 2003. Thecomposition of this assistance shifted in favour ofgrants, which increased from 22 percent in 1994to 66 percent in 2002, and which were expectedto reach over 73 percent in 2005.7

Jordan is also economically vulnerable to externalevents: A sharp increase in oil prices and revenues

accruing to the oil-producing countries of theGulf in the aftermath of the 1973 October Warcontributed to Jordan’s GDP real growth rate of11 percent annually during the period 1973–1983. Remittances from Jordanians working in the Gulf reached $1.2 billion, or a quarter ofthe country’s GDP, by the 1980s, becoming animportant source of government revenue.Increased Arab donor assistance also contributedto Jordan’s economic growth at the time,reducing unemployment rates and defusing socialand tensions.

A subsequent drop in oil prices during the secondhalf of the 1980s had an immediate negativeeffect on Jordan’s economic growth, exacerbatingunemployment, sending more people intopoverty and generally stalling the economy.Similar trends were evident after the Gulf War ofthe early 1990s. Household surveys conducted in 1992 and 1997 revealed a high incidence ofpoverty among the unemployed—16.4 and 26.3percent, respectively. Returning workers and anexpansion of the working age population exacer-bated these trends. According to the WorldBank, the working age population grew by 14percent in 1991, compared to an average growthof 4 percent in earlier years. Jordanian workersreturning from the Gulf were reportedly 25 percentmore likely to remain unemployed.8

Jordan has long been courting foreign investmentin order to boost its economy. Net direct foreigninvestment flows (as a percentage of GDP) havenearly doubled since 1999, reaching 3.8 percentcompared to the previous 2 percent. This increasedid not, however, offset Jordan’s continued highdependence on foreign aid.

Average consumer price inflation has doubledsince 2001, reaching an estimated 3.7 percent by 2005, with a weighted average annual rate of

6 G. Chatelard, Jordan: A Refugee Haven (Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and European UniversityInstitute, 2004), 4.

7 Total official development assistance was estimated at $694 million in 1994 and $668 million in 2002. See TheMillennium Development Goals: Jordan Report 2004 (MOPIC and UNDP, 2004), 63, and Foreign Assistance to Jordan 2005(MOPIC, 2005).

8 Evaluation of Jordan 2005 (World Bank, 2005), 5.


C H A P T E R 2 . N A T I O N A L C O N T E X T A N D C H A L L E N G E S 9

2.7 percent during 1995–2004. To some extent,this increase was fuelled by a boom in theconstruction and real estate sub-sectors due toremittances from Gulf countries, the influx ofreturning Jordanians, and the arrival of Iraqisfollowing political developments in theirneighbouring homeland.

Jordan registered a real GDP growth rangingbetween an estimated 4.2 percent in 2001 and 6.1percent in 2005, which also compares favourablywith averages in the surrounding Arab countries.Per capita income as measured by purchasingpower parity was $4,320 in 2003.9 The countryhas increasingly moved toward a serviceeconomy, with the services sector overshadowingothers and reaching 71 percent of GDP by 2004.ICT has been recognized as an importantcomponent of development, and access to it hasincreased markedly since 2000, again withaggregate data above the Arab Region average.

The steep rise in the price of oil since 2002 has contributed to inflationary pressure and a 16 percent increase in government spending,despite the dismantling of the food and fuelsubsidy system. Public expenditure on educationand health sectors (as a percentage of GDP) has decreased. During 1999–2001, educationexpenditure decreased to about 4.3 percentcompared to 7.9 percent in 1997, and publichealth incurred a steeper cut to 4.3 percent by2002 compared to about 11.1 percent in 1998.Military expenditure as a percentage of GDP fellto 8.9 percent by 2003, down from 9.6 percent in 1998.

By 2005, it was estimated that Jordan’s totalexternal debt had reached $8.5 billion, up from$7.5 billion in 2001. Total public debt fell to 91 percent of GDP in 2004, down from 99 percentin 2002. Debt servicing increased from 8 percentin 1999 to 22.6 percent by 2003. It has been

pointed out that Jordan’s budget deficit “is onlysustainable with continued large inflows ofgrants,” and reducing such dependence is amongthe major challenges faced by the country.10 Thegovernment has sought to improve aid coordinationthrough the establishment of the UNDP-supportedAid Coordination Unit within the Ministry ofPlanning and International Cooperation (MOPIC),including the launch of the Foreign Aid andInvestment Projects Information System.

2.2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTCHALLENGES

Jordan is characterized as a middle-incomedeveloping country. It ranks in 90th place on thehuman development index and oscillates arounda value of 0.753, slightly higher than the averagefor the Arab Region. It ranked 9th in the ArabRegion as a whole in 2002, second only to Lebanoncompared to non-oil Arab countries in 2003.Jordan’s human development index rank depictsgrowing positive indicators in life expectancy atbirth, educational attainment and per capita income.The country’s strides in health and educationinclude improving access to potable water andsanitation, and investing in public education.11

Despite gains in key human development indicators,Jordan still faces considerable socio-economicchallenges, mainly those of poverty and unemploy-ment. As noted, these are exacerbated by Jordan’svulnerability to regional developments and thecountry’s limited natural resources, most notablythe shortfall in renewable water supplies.

2.2.1 POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Between 1997 and 2002–2003, the percentage of the poor in Jordan fell from 21.3 percent to14.2 percent. Contributing to this discernabledecline were a decrease in illiteracy rates (from 22 percent to 13 percent), an increase in per

9 1999 data: Human Development Report 2001 (UNDP, 2001), 179; 2003 data: Human Development Report 2005 (UNDP,2005), 267.

10 Jordan: Economic Performance Assessment (USAID, no date).11 Jordan Poverty Assessment (World Bank and Government of Jordan, 2004), Main Report, Vol.2, 4; Jordan Human

Development Report, Building Sustainable Livelihoods (MOPIC, UNDP, Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development,and Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, 2004), 17; Arab Human Development Report 2004 (UNDP, 2004), 235.


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capita income, expanded work opportunitiesarising from trade liberalization and governmentinterventions to reduce poverty.

Despite these gains, Jordan still confronts regionaldisparities in poverty levels, particularly in ruralareas, which have 50 percent more poverty thanurban areas. Similarly, the poverty and unemploy-ment rates in the Zarqa governorate are 15 percentand 14 percent of the population, respectively,and continue to increase. In 12 out of Jordan’s 75sub-districts—mainly the outlying desert areas—the incidence of poverty is extreme, affecting upto 75 percent of the population.12 Poverty rates inJordan remain highly vulnerable to economicsetbacks or shocks, both internal and external. Anadditional 2 percent of the population remains athigh risk of slipping into poverty, bringing thetotal percentage of those poor or at immediaterisk of poverty to just over 16 percent.13

Jordan’s labour market dynamics and economicdevelopment are linked to labour migration tothe Gulf countries, with a net out-migration of 1.1 million between 1968 and 2003.14

Unemployment and poverty are linked in otherways. In Jordan, the ratio of refugee to indigenouspopulation is one of the highest in world, and thecountry is host to the largest number of Palestinianrefugees in the world. The recent influx of Iraqisfleeing the war in their homeland, combined withthe relocation of significant additional numbersof Palestinians to Jordan following the secondPalestinian uprising in September 2000, havefurther strained the economy and put increasedpressure on already stretched social services andlimited natural resources.

Coupled with workers returning from the Gulf,growth of the working age population increased

pressure for employment opportunities in aneconomy that could not expand enough to meetthese demands. The effect of these factors is alsodemonstrated in the segmentation of theJordanian labour market into two sectors: onelargely dominated by nationals and providingrelatively high wages and employment stability,the other—consisting mainly of agriculture andconstruction-related jobs—dominated by foreignlabour and characterized by low wages, highturnover and minimal legal protection.15

Poverty and education also go hand in hand.Available data indicate that the less educated andunskilled are more likely to be unemployed,compared with the higher educated and skilledlabour force. It is estimated that for every fiveyears of education among any family member,well-being tends to increase by 3 percent.16 TheGovernment of Jordan is committed to investingin education and closing the poverty gap, and topreparing its citizens to participate in the globaleconomy—by expanding and improvingeducational and vocational training opportunitiesfor men and women and by incorporating ICTtraining at all levels. To this end, the governmenthas identified categories of poor and devisedpolicies to address issues in each of thecategories: The poorest of the poor (thosedependent on cash assistance), the working poor(those whose incomes are insufficient) and thenear poor (those constantly at risk of fallingbelow the poverty line).

Because of the economic cushion provided byremittances from workers in the Gulf, Jordan hasyet to experience the feminization of povertycharacteristic of female-headed households inother parts of the world.17 Women head an

12 Jordan Poverty Assessment (World Bank and Government of Jordan, 2004), Main Report, Vol.2, 2.13 Ibid, 185.14 N. Zaqqa (2006), ‘Jordanian Migration’, http://www.jordanian-migration.com/15 G. Chatelard, Jordan: A Refugee Haven (Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies/European University Institute, 2004), 4.16 Jordan Poverty Assessment (World Bank and Government of Jordan, 2004), Main Report, Vol.2, 103.17 The term refers to situations where female unemployment rates are high not only relative to male unemployment rates,

but are also disproportionately high given relatively low rates of female labour force participation. See Arab Women’sDevelopment Report 2001. Globalization and Gender: Economic Participation of Arab Women (UNDP/Centre of ArabWomen for Training and Research/Arab Gulf Fund, 2001), 122.


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estimated 10 percent of households in Jordan.As is common in other countries in the ArabRegion, female economic activity rates are lowcompared to other regions and to middle-incomedeveloping countries in particular. In a socio-cultural context, this does not encourage womento seek entry into the formal labour market.Furthermore, this trend may well develop intogreater incidence of female poverty where genderstereotyping has implications for the femalepreponderance in the unpaid care economy,particularly among divorced women and thosenow heading households where males can no longerfind employment. Already, there is a 27 percentunemployment rate for female-headed households,compared to an overall 17 percent unemploy-ment rate for male-headed households. This hasimplications for poverty rates and the overallwell-being of vulnerable families.18

During the late 1980s, Jordan embarked onmacroeconomic policy reforms to addressgrowing vulnerabilities. Between 1989 and 2004,the country instituted a series of IMF-supportedeconomic adjustment programmes that includedboth stand-by arrangements and extendedfinancing facilities. These reforms were designedto reduce the budget and account deficits, reducepublic debt, control inflation, launch public-sectorreform and promote investment. Key economicreform measures focused on trade liberalizationand policies to increase international competi-tiveness of domestic products and promoteJordan as a competitive social services provider inthe region. The private sector played a significantrole in this endeavour.

Although the IMF-supported structural adjust-ment programme is said to have produced somegood results in spurring public sector reform andgovernment commitment to decentralization andprivatization, these “were predominantly ineffectivein … building growth-related capacity to absorbnew entrants into the labour force” or achievinggrowth with equity.19 After joining the World

Trade Organization (WTO), Jordan’s enhancedpolicy of openness toward the outside worldspurred foreign investment in the country, mainlyin service sector jobs and in the emergingQualified Industrial Zones (QIZs).

In addition, Jordan signed the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement in 1997 and joinedthe US Free Trade Area, the Common ArabMarket and the Greater Arab Free Trade Area(GAFTA). Despite certain benefits from theseagreements, Jordan’s attempts to institutedomestic reforms to reduce poverty were offsetby conditions imposed by international financialinstitutions and donors, shaping its economicpolicies, reform initiatives and approaches todevelopment. For example, reforms to reduce thedeficit and restructure the public sector led to thefreeze in public-sector jobs and the closing of animportant source of employment opportunitiesfor many Jordanians.

2.3 NATIONAL INITIATIVES TOPROMOTE SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT

The government’s efforts to tackle poverty arereflected in a series of plans adopted over theyears. These include the Social ProductivityProgramme of 1998—to which bilateral andmultilateral development agencies, includingUNDP, have contributed financial and/ortechnical assistance—the Enhanced ProductivityProgramme, the 2002–2004 Social and EconomicTransformation Programme and the recentNational Economic and Social Development Plan2004-2006. The overarching blueprint fordevelopment in Jordan is captured in the 2006–2015 National Agenda.

The earlier Social Productivity Programme waslaunched in 1998 and was designed to produceimmediate results in improving living conditionsof the poor by: targeting public assistance moreeffectively; launching community infrastructure

18 Jordan Poverty Assessment (World Bank and Government of Jordan, 2004), Main Report, Vol.2, 203.19 T. H. Kanaan and M. A. Kardoosh, Employment and the Labour Market in Jordan (no date), 1.



strengthening projects; introducing employmentand income-generating opportunities throughmicro- and small-enterprise development; and by way of other training and employmentsupport opportunities. These measures, deemedlargely successful, were later expanded andincorporated into the Rural Cluster CommunityDevelopment Programme and the CommunityInfrastructure Programme under the EnhancedProductivity Programme.20

Building on the achievements and lessons ofearlier plans, in 2002 the Government of Jordanembarked on a Social and Economic TransformationProgramme. Earlier plans were found to havemainly benefited those who were directlytargeted, while long-term sustainable develop-ment required a macro approach to reach all thepoor. Therefore, the Social and EconomicTransformation Programme was designed to createsupportive institutional regulatory frameworks—including education—and synergies betweendonor agencies so as to increase both private andpublic investment in development. Delays, over-dependence on donor assistance and lack of fundsaffected progress. The government concludedthat in order to move forward, it would have toreduce its dependence on foreign aid.

2.3.1 NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIALDEVELOPMENT PLAN 2004–2006

Official recognition of Jordan’s persisting socialand economic development led to the adoptionof the National Social and Economic DevelopmentPlan 2004–2006. Unlike previous developmentplans, it was “characterized by the fact that it waslaunched in response to His Majesty’s directives,stressing that every Ministry and GovernmentalBodies should develop their own clear vision andwork plan.”21 A central objective of this plan was

to reduce dependence on foreign aid and allowthe government more control over economic andsocial development. The plan was launched in2004 with a required investment of 3.15 billionJordanian Dinars ($4.44 billion) and an estimatedfunding gap of 28 percent.

Illustrating linkages between poverty reductionand governance, the Government of Jordan wasintent on maximizing outcomes of reforms withinthe governance sector to finance programmesunder the plan—through increased tax revenuesgenerated as a result of investment and reform,increased savings from budget restructuringefforts and lower debt servicing. The plandescribed initiatives designed to produce positiveoutcomes for the poor, including education,vocational training, health, physical infrastructure,water supply, rural development and institutionalreform initiatives. However, published reportsdid not indicate specifically how the pro-poorstrategy was to achieve desired goals.22 In theinterim, the government continued to expandefforts to ensure the near poor segment did notfall into poverty, and to provide a safety net forthe vulnerable poor in the country.

2.3.2 2006–2015 NATIONAL AGENDA

The 2006–2015 National Agenda is described as ablueprint for developing Jordan as a world-classknowledge-based economy, to be tackled inseveral stages.23 Rather than constituting officialgovernment policy, it reflects a “holistic andinclusive approach” to development—an approachthat takes into account the MDGs, to whichJordan is fully committed, and aims “primarily toimprove the quality of life for Jordanians, build astrong economy, guarantee basic freedoms andhuman rights and strengthen democracy andcultural and political pluralism.”24

20 For details on the Social Productivity Programme and the Enhanced Productivity Programme, see Jordan HumanDevelopment Report, Building Sustainable Livelihoods (MOPIC, UNDP, Jordanian Hashemite Fund for HumanDevelopment, and Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, 2004), 76ff.

21 National Social and Economic Development Plan 2004–2006 (MOPIC, 2004).22 Jordan Human Development Report, Building Sustainable Livelihoods (MOPIC, UNDP, Jordanian Hashemite Fund for

Human Development, and Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, 2004), 79–80.23 2006–2015 National Agenda: The Jordan We Strive For (The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 2005).24 Ibid, 3.



The underlying principles include:

� Building a shared vision for all Jordanians;

� Establishing a highly participatory process totranslate this shared vision into objectivesand targets;

� Adopting a holistic approach to socio-economic development initiatives;

� Aligning public-sector programme andexpenditure to achieve these objectives;

� Improving Jordan’s global competitiveness; and

� Institutionalizing performance monitoring ofthe government, holding it accountable formeeting the agenda’s targets.

The government has proceeded in operationalizingand implementing the vision outlined in the2006–2015 National Agenda by establishing sixcommittees enjoined with the task of translatingit into sector- and objective-related policy andinto a feasible and indicative phased investmentprogramme. The technical committees workingunder the auspices of MOPIC have completedthe drafting of the resulting plan, and the reportwas tabled for consideration by the Council ofMinisters. By all accounts, the agenda has alreadyhad some effect on government actions anddonor relations. Once officially adopted by theParliament, the agenda is expected to haveimplications for UN agency programming,including UNDP, as well as other donors.

The overall aim articulated in the 2006–2015National Agenda is to strengthen Jordan’s positionin the global market as a knowledge-basedeconomy. This objective is also in line withanalyses and recommendations of the Arab HumanDevelopment Reports, particularly concerning theknowledge deficit in the Arab world. TheGovernment of Jordan recognizes the integrallinks between overall social and economicdevelopment—such as making progress towardthe MDGs, particularly in poverty reduction—

education for youth, integration of ICT ineducation and training so as to increase employ-ment opportunities, and reforms in governanceand other key sectors.

The first phase toward realizing the agenda,Employment Opportunities for All (2007–2012),reflects current government priorities: to promoteexport-oriented, labour-intensive industries; toeducate and train the labour force to reshape skills;to invest in infrastructure; to reform legislationregulating political life and to expand politicalparticipation. The agenda gives special attentionto eliminating discrimination against women.

The second phase, envisioned for 2013–2017, willfocus on gradually upgrading and strengtheningthe industrial base; expanding capital intensiveindustries; strengthening the service sector; andpreparing the ground for the development ofhigh value-added sectors in the knowledgeeconomy. The third phase, in 2018 and beyond,envisions Jordan as assuming a place as a world-class competitor in the knowledge economy.

2.4 JORDAN AND THE MILLENNIUMDEVELOMENT GOALS

Central to Jordan’s vision of development isprogress toward achieving the MDGs. A 2004assessment report by MOPIC reveals progress inmeeting the MDGs, though with some mixedresults.25 UNDP is working closely with thegovernment to measure and record progress.

While the Government of Jordan is described asbeing on track in eradicating extreme poverty andhunger (MDG1), the MOPIC report also notesthat the operation of safety nets and targeting thepoor, both by government and NGOs, requirebetter planning and coordination to be effective.Economic growth has not necessarily translatedto benefits for the poor, and the report refersspecifically to the detrimental effects of thestructural adjustment programme.

25 The Millennium Development Goals: Jordan Report 2004 (MOPIC, 2004).



In light of the government’s goal of developingJordan into a competitive knowledge economy,ensuring universal primary education (MDG2) isa strong priority and is also described as on track.The government, however, is urged to addressissues such as high dropout rates and the contentof education, which, as the report points out,should be redesigned to meet the challenges ofglobalization, include ICT, and address genderdisparities in education.

Progress toward women’s economic and politicalempowerment (MDG3) and eliminating genderdisparities is mixed. While progress has beenachieved in balancing the ratio of boys and girlsat different levels of education, specific indica-tors—such as increasing the ratio of women innon-agricultural wage labour and increasing thenumber of seats held by women in theParliament—have not been on track. Governmentreforms in public administration and governancesectors have yet to yield results and require addressinggender inequalities more systematically.

While female unemployment decreased from 21percent in 2000 to 16.5 percent in 2004, itremains higher than male unemployment rates.In a socio-cultural context, this does notencourage women to seek entry into the formallabour market, and the trend may well evolve intoa ‘feminization of unemployment’, where genderstereotyping leads to a preponderance of womenin the unpaid care economy.26 The labour marketgender gap is exacerbated by retrenchment in thehistorically ‘women-friendly’ public sectorfollowing economic restructuring, as well as theunfavourable attitude of the private sector towardthe costs-to-benefits ratio of employingwomen—married women in particular.27

The remaining MDGs also show a mixedpicture. Reducing infant and child mortality(MDG4) is largely on track, while reducing theincidence of tuberculosis is not. Improvingmaternal health and reducing the maternalmortality rate (MDG5) remains a challenge.Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and otherdiseases (MDG6) is reportedly effective; however,questions of underreporting and the potential forthese diseases to spread in the future remain.

Achieving environmental sustainability (MDG7)is a particular challenge in a country that suffersfrom environmental degradation, drought andsevere shortages of water. The Government ofJordan has long been committed to strengtheningthe environment as part of its strategy ofattaining a degree of sustainable development.Progress has been made in specific sectors andareas of the country, for example, the environ-mental preservation of the Aqaba SpecialEconomic Zone. Yet serious challenges remain.The MOPIC report advocates more attention toresource allocation, institutional capacities andlegal frameworks, and particularly to dealing withthe problem of water shortages.

Jordan’s progress toward developing a globalpartnership for development (MDG8) remainsat the heart of its development even as it strivesto reduce external debt and counter-balanceexcessive dependence on external partners with amore competitive Jordanian economy andsociety. As to overall projections for the future,the MOPIC report concludes that some goalsand targets could potentially be achieved in themedium term, while others would probably beachieved only by 2015.

26 Arab Women’s Development Report 2001. Globalization and Gender: Economic Participation of Arab Women (UNDP, Centreof Arab Women for Training and Research, and Arab Gulf Fund, 2001), 122.

27 Jordan’s Labour Law No. 8/1996 stipulates conditions for women’s employment. Articles 67, 70, 71 and 72 respectivelystipulate that women employed in establishments with 10 or more workers have the right to a year of leave without payto look after their children; to maternity leave for 10 weeks with full pay; and to a one-hour nursing break a day for ayear after giving birth. Employers with a minimum of 20 married workers with children should provide a nursery and a qualified governess to care for children less than four years of age if there are at least 10 children. See N. Hijab and C. Fawzi El-Solh, Laws, Regulations and Practices Impeding Women’s Economic Participation in the MENA Region (WorldBank, Office of the Chief Economist, Middle East and North Africa Region, 2003).



2.5 BRIEF OVERVIEW OF UNDP IN JORDAN

UNDP has over 50 years of experience in theHashemite Kingdom of Jordan.28 Five UNDPcountry programmes have been implementedbetween 1952 and 1997. Since 1998, UNDP hasprovided technical assistance to Jordan through itsgovernment counterpart, MOPIC, in the thematicareas of democratic governance, poverty reductionand energy and the environment in the course ofthe two programme cycles under consideration.

During the period of the 1998–2002 CCF, a totalof 55 projects valued at $24.452 million wereimplemented or approved in the areas of goodgovernance (35 percent of the budget), social/poverty programmes (18 percent of the budget),environmental conservation (47 percent of thebudget). The high-priority environmentalprogramme had 16 components and accountedfor nearly half of UNDP core and non-coreresources during the 1998–2002 programmecycle. Core funds allocated for this period were$2,282,000; non-core funds totalled $21,640,000.During this time period, the UNDP programmein Jordan represented less than 1 percent of thecountry’s total overseas development assistance.29

The current UNDP programme, the 2003–2007CPO, is based on the 2002 CCA/UNDAF andthe strategic planning documents of the country.30

A total of 44 projects are being implemented,including several that are continuing from theprevious CCF cycle. Under the currentprogramme cycle, the annual programmingbudget increased to approximately $4.6 million.Governance programmes were allocated thelargest share, approximately 56 percent offunding (a significant increase) during this cycle,

Environment decreased to 26 percent andPoverty programmes remained relatively steadyat 19 percent of the budget.

A total of $27.5 million is required to achieveCPO programme objectives. UNDP Jordan’score programme funds and resources from thethematic trust funds are used together withgovernment resources and bilateral donor funds.UNDP core resources are estimated at $3.06million; non-core resources are estimated at$8.97 million. Government and third-partyresources are estimated at almost $12 million, orjust under half the expected allocation.

The government remains the largest contributorto UNDP programmes in Jordan, which meansthat resources may fall short of what was plannedin times of vulnerability. Nevertheless, theGovernment of Jordan operates by thismechanism, and donors have opted for directbilateral support, rather than through any third party such as UNDP, especially since aidcoordination and partnership mechanisms wererecently institutionalized.

Both the CCF and CPO programme cycles weredesigned and implemented to reflect Jordan’spressing development challenges and priorities in key practice areas, and both are consistent with the UNDP corporate mandate. UNDP hasforged partnerships with government counter-parts, civil society, and local bilateral andmultilateral organizations. It has worked at thepolicy level by supporting national agencies ondevelopment strategies, as well as with grassrootsand other community-based organizations, toimplement projects and enhance their ability torespond to immediate social, economic andenvironmental problems.

28 UN humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees was started shortly after the Israeli-Arab war in 1948 with the establishment of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

29 General information, project information and financial data are derived from the UNDP Jordan Web site (www.undp-jordan.org). Project documents are available on the UNDP Jordan website: http://www.undp-jordan.org/ Additionalproject information and various budget allocations were verified with UNDP Jordan.

30 Within the framework of the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC) system and under the leadership of theResident Coordinator, UNDP is an active member of the UN inter-agency working groups on Social and CommunityDevelopment, Human Rights, UNAIDS and Monitoring & Evaluation. It is also a member of the Donor/LenderConsultative Group and subgroups on issues of key importance to the country and very much in line with the internationaldevelopment community’s aid priorities.



2.6 SUMMARY AND KEY MESSAGES

Jordan’s vulnerable geopolitical and economicsituation continues to affect its progress towardsustainable development. With its growingpopulation, large portion of youth, Palestinianrefugees, migrant workers, decrease in remittancesand labour in the Gulf and increasing numbers ofIraqis fleeing their country’s war, the Jordanianjob market is simply unable to provide the neededservices, absorb an expanding labour force ormeet demands for particular types of skilledlabour in an increasingly globalized economy.

Jordan remains committed to restructuring thepublic sector, developing infrastructure andaddressing institutional and environmentalimpediments and challenges to development.However, high poverty rates, especially inoutlying rural areas, persistent gender inequalities,increased vulnerability to unemployment—andthe resulting loss of income—and a government

whose resources are insufficient to meet thedemands thrust upon it continue to renderJordan highly dependent on foreign aid. TheGovernment of Jordan is forward-looking; itenvisions developing the country and its peopleto participate competitively in the globalizedeconomy. Its main long-term objective is to buildJordan’s capacity as a knowledge economy.

As it moves toward realizing its vision for thefuture, the government requires the assistance ofmultilateral and international donors to address theimmediate challenges in development. SuccessiveUNDP country programmes have been instru-mental in supporting Jordan in identifying andstarting to address development priorities in the key areas of governance, poverty reduction,environmental sustainability and the linkagesbetween these and a rights-based approach todevelopment. UNDP support to the Governmentof Jordan has also been critical for leveraging othersources of funding in these and other sectors.


C H A P T E R 3 . U N D P S T R A T E G I C O P T I O N S A N D P O S I T I O N I N G 1 7

This section assesses UNDP strategic position-ing in Jordan by examining the two UNDPcountry programme cycles, the 1998–200 CCFand the 2003–2007 CPO for three main issues:(1) overall strategic relevance of the two countryprogrammes to national priorities as identified byvarious stakeholders; (2) responsiveness of UNDPto the need for changes or revisions in the twocountry programmes; and (3) synergies and linkagesenhanced by the two country programmes.

3.1 UNDP IN JORDAN

During 1998–2007, UNDP has provided specializedexpertise to Jordan through MOPIC, its govern-ment counterpart, in the three thematic areas ofdemocratic governance, poverty reduction, andenergy and the environment in the course of thetwo programme cycles under consideration.

3.1.1 1998–2002 COUNTRY COOPERATION FRAMEWORK

The 1998–2002 CCF was developed in consultationwith the Government of Jordan. It grew out ofprevious country programme experience, particu-larly the fifth country programme immediatelypreceding the CCF in 1992–1997.

The 1992–1997 programme had concentrated on four areas: (1) human resource development;(2) macroeconomic management; (3) naturalresources management; and (4) support toproductive sectors.31 A mid-term review in 2005concluded that though in line with nationalpriorities and objectives, projects were fragmentedand too small to produce desired results. Lessonsincorporated in the CCF included the need for

more realistic financial projections at the outset,and for more focused attention to country prioritiesand needs at the project level.

The 1998–2002 CCF was designed in largemeasure to support Jordan in qualifying to jointhe WTO, which it did in 1999. UNDP wouldalso be strategically positioned to take advantageof a central institutional strength: its ability tocoordinate within the UN system and supportthe government in leveraging donor aid from othersources. Essentially, the CCF cycle focused ontargeted interventions aimed at strengthening thesustainability of Jordan’s growing economic andsocial progress. Both UNDP and the governmentrecognized the linkages between the three criticalareas of governance, poverty reduction andprotection of the environment, and these areasformed the basis of UNDP support. The govern-ment’s growing recognition of the importance ofintegrating ICT in development led to UNDPadding this component later in the CCF cycle.

Highlights of the 1998–20002 CCF show it tobe in line with national priorities:

� Governance: Special emphasis was placedon capacity-building in the public sector andcapacity-building for the management ofJordan’s integration into the world economy;

� Poverty reduction: Special emphasis wasplaced on social productivity in job-relatedskills training and expanding the government’ssocial safety net;

� Environmental protection: Support wasprovided to the government, including theefforts of the GEF to implement the govern-

Chapter 3

UNDP STRATEGIC OPTIONSAND POSITIONING

31 Country Cooperation Frameworks and Related Matters. First Country Cooperation Framework for Jordan (1998-2002),DP/CCF/JOR1 (UNDP, 30 June 1997).


C H A P T E R 3 . U N D P S T R A T E G I C O P T I O N S A N D P O S I T I O N I N G1 8

ment’s National Environment Action Plan.Because of the significant amount of resourcesrequired, UNDP left major interventions toother donors, such as USAID and GTZ,while it continued to play a supporting role innational efforts to address water shortage andmanagement issues by helping to create thecentral water database, and by focusing oncapacity-building and institutional strength-ening of government agencies and NGOs; and

� Information and communication technology:ICT was integrated mainly into povertyreduction and governance programmes duringthe course of the CCF in mid-2000.

Total allocations for the 1998–2002 CCF amountedto approximately $23.9 million, with coreresources of $2.3 million and non-core resourcesof $21.6 million. Of the non-core resources, thegovernment cost share was $4.4 million, sustainablenon-core resources were $11.5 million, funds intrust were $2.3 million, and third-party (otherdonor) cost-sharing stood at $3.4 million. Thelargest anticipated contributor was GEF, accountingfor an estimated $10.7 million of all non-coreresources. Although government cost-sharing didnot materialize in the previous cycle, it wasincreased to almost double the UNDP coreresources in the current CPO programme cycle.

As a partner in Jordan’s development, UNDP isaware that its limited resources cannot matchthose of big donors, such as the United States ofAmerica and Japan. Effective strategic positioningfor maximizing the role of UNDP in Jordan’sdevelopment, as well as for achieving outcomesand results consistent with the country’s nationalpriorities, involved maximizing the advantagesinherent in its institutional character and playinga role primarily as catalyst and facilitator inJordan’s development process.

3.1.2 LINKS WITH CCA AND UNDAF

The mid-term evaluation of the CCF scheduledfor mid-2000 was not undertaken. UNDPEvaluation Office report, Jordan CountryReview (2002), notes that delays in evaluatingthe CCF meant that its own assessments oflessons learned and recommendations for futurepriorities may have been issued too late to beincorporated into the CPO.32 The report alsonotes that in terms of general programmerelevance and strategic positioning, the CCF was“fully in accordance with the national develop-ment strategies and in conformance with theUNDP practice areas.” In addition, it notes thatduring the period of the CCF, governmentpriorities began to coalesce around “nationalpolicies toward more responsive governance,vocational training for youth employment,promoting ICT in development and improvingpeople’s lives,” which has “met with promptresponse from UNDP.” 33

The report further observes that, “in hindsight,there were too many micro-interventions” inaddressing needs, scattering efforts that shouldbe more focused in future programming. Thesame report urges UNDP to position itself tosupport Jordan’s move toward a knowledgeeconomy. Strategic UNDP interventions wouldconsequently target programmes in the threethematic areas more strategically in support ofthis national goal, mainly:

� Strengthening knowledge management; and

� Enhancing human and environmentaldevelopment.

The 2002 CCA identified poverty and unemploy-ment as the major development challengesprioritized by the Government of Jordan.General poverty was estimated at over 30 percent,extreme poverty at 4 percent, and unemploymentat 21 percent.34 Poverty alleviation would require

32 Jordan Country Review (UNDP Evaluation Office, July 29, 2002), 3. The CPO document, however, does make reference to theCountry Programme Review to confirm the good strategic positioning of UNDP in Jordan. Since 2002, UNDP ManagementResponse requires that information and recommendations from country reviews be incorporated into upcoming country programs.

33 Ibid, 17. It was not possible to independently verify this claim.34 It is unclear why figures cited in the CCA are considerably higher than in other sources. See Common Country Assessment

Jordan 2002 (United Nations, 2002), 8.



strategies to improve productivity and reduceunemployment. In addition to the recommended“behavioural changes”, Jordan needed tostrengthen its technological infrastructure, promote

gender equality, improve management skills,promote more effective marketing strategies, andremove legal and procedural impediments todevelopment. Passing new environmental laws

1998–2002 2003–2007

National Priorities CCF Themes National Priorities CPO Themes

Governance 1. Developing legaland administrativeframeworks

2. Increasingtransparency in thedecision-makingprocess

3. Integrating theJordanian economywith the globaleconomy

4. Attracting local andforeign investment

1. Resourcemanagement

2. Economicintegration

1. Rural development,poverty alleviationand reform

2. Institutional andstructural reform:decentralization

3. Institutional andstructural reform:enhancing humanrights

1. Capacity develop-ment, government,monitoring andevaluation ofnational strategies

2. Support to public-sector reform

3. Private sector rolein investment

Poverty reductionand socialintegration

1. Tackling povertyand unemployment

2. Reducing regionaland gender disparities

1. Poverty alleviation andemployment

2. Gender initiatives

1. Human resourcesdevelopment

2. Rural developmentand poverty alleviation

1. Communitydevelopment

2. ICT in skillstraining; vocationaltraining

3. Business trainingfor micro, small andmedium enterprises

Environment 1. Improving quality of life

2. Protecting theenvironment

1.Capacity-buildingand institutionalstrengthening ofthe governmentagencies and NGOsconcerned


1. Support landconservation andbiodiversity

2. Capacity-building(Ministry ofEnvironment)

3. Water management

ICT 1. Using moderntechnology to build a business andgovernment database

1. Communitycomputer centres

2. ICT in highereducation

3. ICT in schools


1. Communitydevelopment:Knowledge Centres

2. .ICT in skillstraining; vocationaltraining

General 1. Reducing debt andtrade deficit

2. Reducing depend-ence on donors

3. Preparing for WTO

1. Capacity-building andtraining

2. Technicalsupport

1. Creation of aknowledge-basedeconomy

2. Sustainable humandevelopment

1. Policy advice,dialogue andadvocacy,demonstrating pilot projects

Table 1. Relevance of CCF and CPO to National Priorities in Jordan



and addressing water scarcity were also cited asdevelopment priorities.

Analyses of Jordan’s development challenges inthe CCA were incorporated into the 2003–2007UNDAF, once again underscoring povertyreduction, governance and environmental conser-vation as key areas for UN intervention in Jordan.UN agency interventions were to contribute to anumber of outcomes in line with national priori-ties. UNDAF also stressed the importance ofcoordination and partnerships, such as thoseamong UN agencies, the donor and lendercommunity, and between the UN agencies andthe private sector.

UNDAF underscored strategic partnershipsamong relevant UN agencies to address the maindevelopment challenges in Jordan through acombination of up- and downstream interventions,including: (a) policy dialogue and advocacy (advisingon policy formulation and implementation,raising information and awareness); (b) capacity-building (training and development); and (c) servicedelivery (for example, project seed money andpilot projects).

3.1.3 2003–2007 COUNTRY PROGRAMME OUTLINE

Issues concerning the relevance of the CPO tonational priorities were assessed by various means,including discussions with relevant governmentpartners, UN agencies, stakeholders in theprivate sector and CSOs, and in reference topriorities articulated in the 2002 CCA and the2003–2007 UNDAF.

Analysis of development challenges andapproaches outlined in the CCA and UNDAFwere incorporated into the 2003–2007 CPOprogramme cycle. Areas of intervention remainedthe same, reflecting ongoing national priorities inthe areas of governance, poverty reduction andsocial development, and environmental protec-tion. However, approaches to interventionsbecame more focused (i.e., in line with evolvingnational challenges and needs, and in response toevaluations of the CCF). The CPO programme

placed more emphasis on mainstreaming genderand promoting human rights-based developmentin all activities; it also highlighted the goal ofcreating synergy between upstream anddownstream activities in order to effectivelycontribute to development outcomes.

Interventions were to specifically target three areasand related issues of concern to the government:

� Community development: Building on anetwork of Jordan Information TechnologyCommunity Centres throughout the Kingdom;integrating ICT, up-scaling and linking local efforts;

� Enhanced regional development anddecentralization: Strengthening local capacityand creating an enabling environment forcommunity development; and

� Support to administrative reform: Buildingon previous successes (such as the Aid-Coordination Unit, the database at theDepartment of Statistics); creating anenabling environment for development,including direct foreign investment andstronger trade and service-based relationswith other countries.

In particular, the CPO emphasized the majorcontributions of UNDP to poverty reduction andgovernance, which most closely reflect theUNDP mandate. These areas are also whereUNDP enjoys a comparative institutional advantageand a track record among development agencies.For this reason, and because of the limitedUNDP resources, support for environmentalprotection—including water management andother large-scale activities—were limited toassisting in local-level planning and raisingawareness through community developmentefforts. Other agencies with more resources wereresponsible for implementing the larger projects.

The CPO clearly demonstrated the dual role ofUNDP Jordan as ‘catalyst’ and ‘facilitator, in linewith both the organization’s institutionalstrengths and the country’s national priorities.



The total 2003–2007 CPO allocations amountedto approximately $24 million. Core UNDPresources were estimated at $3.06 million; non-core resources were estimated at $8.97 million.Government and third-party resources wereanticipated to amount to $12 million, or justunder half the expected allocation.35

3.2 UNDP RELEVANCE TO NATIONALPRIORITIES IN JORDAN

Jordan’s recent development objectives and prioritiesare summarized in various documents, includingthe Social and Economic TransformationProgramme (May 2002), the aforementionedNational Social and Economic Development Plan2004–2006 and the overarching vision fordevelopment as articulated in the 2006–2015National Agenda.

The 1998–2002 CCF programme was designedto reflect Jordan’s continued focus on the nationalpriorities of the early 1990s. Though Jordan wasbeginning to enjoy some degree of economicstability, it was acutely aware of the setbackscaused by economic and political upheavals—such as threats to oil imports during the 1991Gulf War, the loss of jobs and hence remittancesof Jordanians in the Gulf, and fallout from thePalestinian/Israeli conflict.

By the late 1990s, Jordan’s relationship with theoil-rich Arab States and community of donorshad mended following the 1991 Gulf War. Withgreater investment of returnees’ savings in thecountry, the Jordanian economy began to thrive.However, there were ample indications thateconomic achievements could not be sustainedover the medium and long term. Such factorsincluded: the high population growth rate of 3.4percent—though it subsequently dropped to 2.5percent—and the concomitant high dependencyratio; limited water resources; economic growth

without equitable distribution (such that the 20to 30 percent of the poorest population wereeffectively by-passed); the unpredictable nature ofaid flows; and the high protectionism and monopo-lies of the fast-growing economic sectors.36

UNDP interventions throughout the CCF cyclewere strategically positioned to make sure thateconomic gains were not reversed, and to prepareJordan for the challenges ahead. These challengescontinued to revolve around poverty, educationand other economic and social difficulties that grew out of the upheavals of earlier years.Poverty rates, for example, rose from anestimated 3 percent in 1987 to close to 12 percentin the late 1990s.37 Government expenditure oneducation remained high, as did its commitmentto developing this sector. However, developmentsby the late 1990s pointed to the need tostrengthen and improve higher education inorder to prepare Jordanians for emergingemployment opportunities in services andindustry in an increasingly globalized economy.

The IMF-supported structural readjustment,which was to continue until 2004, helped thegovernment curb inflation and reduce the tradedeficit. However, these adjustments also highlightedthe need for more focused interventions indecentralization and public-sector reform, andfor investment in training and capacity-buildingin both public and private sectors. Such interven-tions were needed to strengthen the privatesectors, encourage foreign investment, andexpand local job opportunities to absorb thegrowing labour force, reduce the late 190sunemployment rate of around 15 percent andbegin to reduce poverty rates. Attention to theenvironment was also critical, given the country’slimited natural resources and the importance ofwater and waste management to improvingpeoples’ health, livelihoods and opportunities.

35 For more information on the programmatic goals and outcomes of the Strategic Results Framework, CCF, CPO,UNDAF, and the Multi-Year Funding Framework, see Annex IV.

36 See http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-23347/Jordan.37 Poverty Alleviation in Jordan in the 1990s: Lessons for the Future (The World Bank, April 2001).



By the early 2000s, UNDP support to economicand political reforms in Jordan over the previousdecade was demonstrating some success inachieving economic stability, restructuring thepublic sector and redressing financial imbalances.The Government of Jordan expressed confidencethat it had achieved a macroeconomic policy formanaging the internal economy and integratingthe country into the global market. However, thegovernment was acutely aware that socialdevelopment remained below the level it hadhoped to achieve, and unemployment andpoverty rates remained relatively high as averageper capita income barely increased.

Jordan continued to face dependence on foreignaid, an increase in external debt and growth ofthe general budget deficit. Despite the country’scommitment to decentralization and devolvingpublic-sector services and resources to the locallevel, much remained to be done. Governmentservices, particularly for the poor, were inefficientand not adequately targeted at the sectors thatneeded them most. Education reform, particu-larly at the higher education level, still requiredinfrastructure development, capacity-building(for ICT in particular), vocational training andgeneral reform of educational content to be morein line with emerging employment opportunities.Despite UNDP interventions in support of smalland medium business enterprises through theCCF, the private sector still lacked the capacityand resources to assume a larger role in creatingjobs or attracting foreign investment. In all, at theend of the decade Jordan still found itself veryvulnerable to developments both inside andoutside of its borders.

At the time, the government’s focus shifted tosustainable development, rooted in deeperpartnerships between the public and privatesectors and in the greater participation and voiceof the citizens, women in particular. By 2001, theGovernment of Jordan was once again adoptingeconomic and social programmes to acceleratethe implementation of economic reform. Policies,

programmes, projects and procedures designed to improve the quality of life for Jordaniancitizens were under discussion with both with theprivate sector and multilateral donors. As thegovernment launched its National Social andEconomic Development Plan 2004–2006, the mostpressing challenges facing the country included:the ever-increasing rates of unemployment andpoverty; the persistent imbalance in the labourmarket (e.g., demand for skilled labour exceededsupply); the high budget deficit; high foreigndebt; and the effect of regional developments,particularly the Second Palestinian Intifada andthe 2003 war in Iraq.

Principles guiding the government’s plan includedsustaining monetary and financial stability,enhancing accountability and transparencyprinciples, activating partnership between thepublic and private sectors, and guaranteeing therole of the private sector as the main partner ineconomic activity.38 Based on these principles,the Government of Jordan anticipated an economicgrowth rate of 6 percent by 2006. This wasexpected to maintain inflation rates withinacceptable levels of below 1.8 percent.

The national plan specifically targeted poverty andunemployment reduction as high-priority areas.These were to be achieved through investmentsin areas of local development and creatingprogrammes to empower citizens, specificallyyouth and women and provide them withadequate opportunities.

The main economic and social pillars outlined inthe National Social and Economic DevelopmentPlan 2004–2006 include:

� Human resources development (publiceducation; higher education and scientificresearch; labour, vocational and technicaltraining; and youth care);

� Basic governmental services (health, water,ICT and infrastructure);

38 National Social and Economic Development Plan 2004–2006 (MOPIC, 2004).



� Development of governorates, alleviatingpoverty and reducing unemployment; and

� Institutional and organizational frameworkand policies (administrative development,the judiciary, industry, trade, and the AqabaSpecial Economic Zone).

The 2003–2007 CPO cycle was strategicallypositioned to support the government in addressingnational priorities, particularly those revolvingaround community development and administrativereform—including poverty reduction andgovernance, respectively. Assessing the strategicposition of UNDP in Jordan is, however,contingent on strategically linking interventionsin key thematic areas to support the governmentin its overall objectives of achieving greater self-reliance in development and focusing morespecifically on areas where Jordan can achieve acompetitive edge in high-value added sectors,particularly in a knowledge-based economy.

Demonstrating the relevance of UNDP countryprogramming in Jordan also requires considerationof national needs and priorities beyond thosearticulated by the government. For example,local NGOs—which play key roles in variousdevelopment sectors under consideration—havedemanded increased attention to their concernsand more opportunities to participate in develop-ment. Another indicator of relevance concernsUNDP strategic positioning to assist its partnersin addressing development needs and prioritiescalled for by the citizenry, who still await a higherlevel of government responsiveness to their voice,concerns and needs.

3.3 UNDP RESPONSIVENESS TO CHANGING COUNTRY NEEDSAND CONDITIONS

Assessing CCF and CPO responsiveness tochanging needs and conditions shows mixedresults. UNDP is aware that its resources aremeagre in terms of meeting the requirements of acountry with extremely limited resources andtremendous needs. Consequently, UNDP rations

its development interventions to priority areas,focusing on its role as: (a) a catalyst of change,where UNDP Jordan concentrates on introducinginnovative ideas, as well as piloting andenhancing their adoption through advocacy (e.g.,ICT, which also corresponds to various nationalpriorities); (b) a facilitator in the reform ofexisting policies or adoption of legislation topromote specific activities; (c) a contributor toinvestments, primarily at the upstream level or in technical assistance (e.g., computers andequipment; studies; and adaptive research anddevelopment, such as the biogas project), whileleaving downstream activities to partners ingovernment, NGOs and the private sector;(d) a contributor to small investments that canthen be up-scaled; and (e) an investigator ofgeographical areas with pockets of poverty (e.g.,Mafraq) or unique socio-economic potential(e.g., Zarqa, an urban area among the poorest in the country), which require special attention to poverty reduction, water conservation andsupport for eco-tourism.

Projects implemented during the CCF cycle wereproactive in supporting the Government ofJordan in addressing development challenges.Perhaps the most salient example is in the designof the CCF programme to help prepare thecountry for entry into the WTO and assist inaddressing social and economic needs resultingfrom Jordan’s IMF-sponsored structural adjust-ment reforms (i.e., public administration reform,including the tax revenue system and customsregulations). The CCF was clearly able torespond to emerging needs, particularly thegovernment’s recognition of the need forintegrating ICT in development at all levels. Inmid-2000, new projects were added to theongoing CCF programme in key areas thatreflected this priority, with Knowledge Centrespresenting one such example.

To the extent that the CCF provided Jordan withvalue-added institutional support in the environ-ment sector, the programme contributed topositioning Jordan to leverage funds for majorenvironmental protection and management



projects through the GEF and bilateral donors. Asimilar benefit accrued in the poverty-reductionsector, where UNDP interventions assistedJordan in attracting USAID funding for povertyreduction projects. In these and other areas, theCCF—and later the CPO—was strengthened bythe coordination tasks, which are the responsibil-ity of the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDPResident Representative, and in which majorbilateral agencies participate.

As noted, many projects were small andscattered, focusing mainly on small-scalecapacity. Building activities and programmesimplemented during the CCF cycle wereultimately too fragmented to strategicallyconceptualize and link interventions in the threethematic areas, so as to position UNDP torespond effectively to emerging developmentneeds and priorities. For example, Jordancontinued to face the challenge of linkingcapacity-building of targeted individuals toinstitutional and organizational development atthe local and national levels, intended to ensurecontinuity of management and development.These strategic needs and links could not beaddressed within the CCF model.

Specifically, in terms of responsiveness to Jordan’snational priorities, programmatic interventionsof UNDP may demonstrate a somewhat differentemphasis than that articulated by the govern-ment. For example, UNDP and the Governmentof Jordan had disagreements regarding povertyreduction. The government tended to identifyunemployment as a primary cause of poverty,while the CCA pointed instead to low labourforce participation and low wages.The governmentand UNDP also had different perspectives on theincidence of poverty, especially during the CCFcycle. Whether due to inadequately focusedprojects or contrasting assumptions about causesand solutions, the UNDP poverty reductionprogramme is generally not regarded as havingmade significant contributions to poverty alleviation

in Jordan—despite poverty reduction being acore UNDP practice area.

This sentiment echoes the conclusions of the2001 Re-Profiling Mission, which recommendedthat UNDP reassert its leadership as “the agencyworking to eliminate poverty” and its “role inpromoting human development.”39 It also largelyconfirms the impression of this evaluation’sfocus-group participants and demonstrates apossible missed opportunity for UNDP Jordan tobe more proactive and responsive in the povertyreduction area. This is further confirmed in the2005 Mid-Term Review of the CPO, whichexpressly advises UNDP to “review the program-matic working strategy of its poverty reductionthematic area in order to enhance its effectivenessand relevance to national priorities” in Jordan.40

Regarding governance, the Government ofJordan has repeatedly emphasized the need fordecentralization as part of public administrationreform. However, UNDP country programmesunder review appear to address this only peripherally, without strategically connectingindividual projects, such as those in thegovernance area, with the ultimate goal ofsupporting and achieving decentralization. (SeeChapter 4 for further discussion.)

The CPO refined some of the approaches in theearlier CCF, responding more flexibly and withgreater agility to emerging needs. Instead of bifurcated and separate practice areas, theCPO recognized the interconnections betweeninterventions at each of the poverty, governanceand environment levels. Approaches to povertyreduction, for example, were therefore conceivedmore comprehensively in terms of communitydevelopment that would encompass targetedactivities that are linked more coherently toactual outcomes in this area—for example, ineco-diversity projects.

The CPO also contained a refined and clearerarticulation of the main role of UNDP as a

39 Mission Report: Jordan – Country Office Re-Profiling (UNDP, 2001), Annex 2, 16.40 Mid-Term Review of Technical Cooperation Programme (2003–2007) (UNDP Jordan, June 2005), 38.



catalyst and facilitator in the Jordanian environ-ment. This would ensure that the UNDP countryprogramme is consistently paying attention tolinkages between up- and downstream activities,and to interventions by other donors andagencies in Jordan. To the extent that strategicprinciples guiding UN agencies, as articulated inUNDAF, were incorporated into specificprogrammatic interventions, the CPO intendedto institutionalize responsiveness and flexibilitydirectly into its interventions.

Questions regarding the general responsivenessof the CPO to emerging needs and concerns mayhave to await completion of the programme.However, some indications as to where it mayhave fallen short emerge from the government’scontinued emphasis on making progress incritical areas, such as decentralization, wherethere is little evidence that the UNDP countryprogramme has been responsive strategically (notjust project-wise) to this concern.41 The sameobservation is relevant to poverty reduction andemployment generation, given the government’srecent emphasis on the country’s ultimate goal ofpositioning itself as a competitive knowledgeeconomy in the global environment. Aspreviously emphasized in the 2005 Mid-TermReview of the CPO, the poverty reductionprogramme appears to have a broad scope ofwork. However, it lacks clarity and focus in orderto connect it more coherently to country needs orrender it more responsive and effective inaddressing those needs.42

Assessing the responsiveness and relevance of theCPO in these respects will provide critical inputinto the next UNDAF and country programmein Jordan. Future directions suggest theimportance of a strategically focused programme

that addresses knowledge deficits and capabilitieswithin and alongside human development.43

3.4 SYNERGIES AND LINKAGESENHANCED BY UNDP IN JORDAN

There is clearly a considerable overlap in address-ing priorities in governance, poverty and theenvironment, and potential exists for creatingsynergies and linkages in addressing developmentneeds in Jordan. Such opportunities includemobilizing and coordinating donor resources andmaking progress toward the MDGs. Attention tocross-cutting issues, including gender andintegration of ICT, are also clearly demonstratedin these priorities—keeping in mind, however,that ensuring the promotion of gender equality isnot confined to poverty-related interventions. Incontrast, there is a difference between thepotential for synergy and demonstration of actualsynergies, which can be characterized as unevenacross core thematic areas.

UNDP and its partners enjoy an opportunity topromote synergies among their programmes,especially given a clear consensus concerning thenature of—and general solutions to—the maindevelopmental challenges in Jordan. For example,as UNDP focused on the acute problem of watershortages, contributing to the development of adatabase for efficient water programming,USAID provided some substantial investmentsfor water consumption savings and limiting waterconveyance losses. Similarly, the JapanInternational Cooperation Agency and GTZhave also made substantial investments in thewater sector. However, UNDP appears to havelimited its engagement in this critical sector,hence reducing its potential strategic positioningas a leading actor.44 The limited funds of UNDP

41 The evaluation team learned that the Royal Committee on Regionalization to support local development and decentralizationcould not come up with specific findings and recommendations, and that this might have hampered UNDP efforts topromote decentralization. Notwithstanding these challenges, it is still possible for UNDP to build on its global experiencewith decentralization and share key lessons with the government to support its efforts towards decentralization.

42 Mid-Term Review of Technical Cooperation Programme (2003-2007) (UNDP Jordan, June 2005), 23.43 Jordan Country Review (UNDP Evaluation Office, July 29, 2002), 10.44 UNDP now focuses on selected community based initiatives through the GEF Small Grants Programme—mainly due

to the huge difference in funding amounts provided to the water sector in Jordan, provided by USAID, GTZ, EU andthe Japan International Cooperation Agency.



as compared to bilateral donors are usually citedas a key reason for this, although there may stillbe considerable scope to focus on social andeconomic implications of water scarcity—whetherthrough inter-sectoral and multidisciplinaryresearch, or through community-based initiatives.

Other environment-related interventions providefurther opportunities for synergies amongUNDP, major bilateral donors, internationalfinance institutions and the local private sector.For instance, UNDP has contributed to theestablishment of the Ministry of Environment(MOEn), the compilation and strengthening ofexisting environmental laws, rules and regulations,and the initiation of new laws. Activities inconjunction with other institutions, such as theMinistry of Water and Irrigation, includetreatment and recycling of wastewater fromolive-oil press mills. This is a regional projectinvolving four countries45 and the private sector,again demonstrating UNDP positioning andsynergies at the regional level. Another exampleis in promoting the use of ICT, involving donors,NGOs, CSOs and potentially the private sectorin order to attain a better trained labour force.A third example is the GEF Small GrantsProgramme efforts to implement a Nature basedtourism development programme in Dana,which includes providing alternative means oflivelihood to local communities living around thenational protected areas.

Despite the positive evidence of synergies, somequestions remain about UNDP follow-up andsupport, as well as about the appropriate level ofinvestment to spearhead the process of develop-ment and change and strengthen such linkages.Concrete documentation on these synergies—from entry points for cooperation, best practicesand other operating procedures to identificationof evaluative criteria and evaluation of developmentresults—appears to be lacking, which hasimplications for the continuation and replicationof these and similar initiatives.

3.4.1 PERCEPTIONS BY UNDP PARTNERS IN JORDAN

Demonstrating synergy and responsiveness toemerging needs and priorities requires sharedvision among all partners, not only the governmentpartners of UNDP in Jordan. The Partners’Survey rated UNDP Jordan favourably overall for2002 and 2004 in almost all fields of inquiry,including impressions about the country officeitself, achievement of significant results, provisionof operational services, institutional reforms,promotion of gender equity and support fortechnical assistance. In fact, positive ratings ofthese variables were shown to have improvedmarkedly between 2002 and 2004, signifying theimpact of changes in the leadership and restruc-turing of the country office during that time.46

Likewise, perceptions garnered from the discus-sions with the donors are generally supportive ofUNDP Jordan and indicate its good strategicpositioning, particularly in its leadership rolewithin the Donor/Lender Consultation Group(DLCG). The major bilateral donors noted thatthe UN is primarily a facilitator of their activities.Donor working committees are left to the bilateralagencies, and the UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative does not havethe mandate to intervene in activities betweenbilateral or international agencies and thegovernment. Countries tend to promote theirown bilateral interests; even MOPIC, the officialrepresentative of government on issues related todevelopment planning and financing, does notnecessarily view full coordination as the bestoption. The government sometimes prefers tohave a margin of manoeuvrability and maydiscourage what it views as collusion amongdonors. As such, some issues pertaining tocoordinating strategies and remaining proactiveand responsive to emerging needs may be beyondUNDP control, and UNDP strategic positioningmay be somewhat constrained in this regard.

45 Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.46 See: http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:JVoDMsGcOsYJ:www.surf-as.org/RBASMIC/BestPracticesApril2005.pdf+

UNDP+undp+partners+survey+jordan&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us



Discussions with government officials gave theimpression that they generally valued the contribution and leadership of UNDP. Manyrespondents noted the shift to improved leader-ship at the country office. Some respondents did,however, express dissatisfaction with certainaspects of UNDP operations, for example, theroutine and lengthy procurement procedure.Project or programme managers are functioningunder the national execution modality (NEX),which implies that they are more or less selectedto manage projects that fall within the responsi-bility of the concerned government agency ordepartment. These managers indicated overallsatisfaction with UNDP, but also complainedabout delayed responses from staff and the lack ofinstitutional memory in cases where new staffhad recently joined UNDP Jordan.

Civil-society responses rated UNDP effort tostrengthen the participatory process as fairlypositive, especially since 2004. However, it wassuggested that UNDP partnership strategieswith local CSOs should be much more strategicand systematic. NGOs in Jordan tend to self-categorize themselves in terms of whether or notthey were founded by royal decree. Those NGOsnot considered ‘official’ indicated that as long as they function within the law and conform totheir given terms of reference, UNDP shoulddeal with them without discrimination. VariousNGO participants interviewed voiced theirconcern about preferential treatment and theneed for a more straightforward approach byUNDP to encourage dialogue beyond the scopeof specific projects. In two separate cases,complaints about UNDP failing to meet itscontractual obligations were highlighted, althoughthese could not be fully verified as administrativeand legal investigations are beyond the scope ofthis evaluation mission.47

A more substantial issue pertaining to thedichotomy between ‘official’ and other ‘unofficial’

organizations concerns the official functions thatare bestowed upon the former by law. The RoyalSociety for the Conservation of Nature, forexample, is responsible for overseeing theimplementation of nature conservation lawsthrough various community-based approaches. Italso has a mine action programme with UNDPfor de-mining activities that are linked tonational security. In this respect, such organiza-tions are fulfilling an official function similar toother government departments. UNDP andother development agencies may thus find itdifficult to avoid dealing with them or substitut-ing them with other NGO partners, in view ofissues and concerns that legally fall within theirmandate. Such issues affect overall UNDPresponsiveness to needs and priorities emanatingfrom, or articulated by, other sectors and NGOs.

UNDP has had a somewhat limited relationshipwith the private sector, even though the Jordanianeconomy is largely considered to be a marketeconomy. The government has long beenemphasizing support to capacity-building andjob development within the private sector, as wellas involving the private sector in deeper partner-ships with the government. These same prioritieswere noted in the CCF and CPO. However,these programmes have not yet achieved thegovernment’s expectations. More effectiveresponsiveness on the part of UNDP in Jordan mayrequire attention to training, needs-assessmentand designing programmes in partnership withthe Chamber of Commerce, which has thus farhad limited communication with the UN system,and others in the private sector. It would bestrategic for UNDP to adopt some scheme forcommercial intermediation in order to linkJordan’s private sector with the world economy.Such linkages would provide access to technol-ogy, equipment, product standardization anddifferentiation, and trade promotion, and wouldalso build on the previously mentioned regionaland international agreements such as GAFTA.

47 Such matters should be reviewed through a full audit of the UNDP country programme, which has not taken place duringthe last six years.



3.4.2 UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE AND AID SYNERGIES

The UNDP Resident Representative has a dualrole of also functioning as the UN ResidentCoordinator (RC) in Jordan. As the ResidentCoordinator Annual Reports reveal, the UnitedNations Country Team (UNCT) and DLCG inJordan have developed into relatively proactivefora for promoting inter-agency coordination andinformation-sharing, as well as for supportingjoint analyses of development challenges andharmonization of aid coordination.

At the request of Ambassadors of EU countriesbased in Amman, in 1999 the RC assumedresponsibility for organizing dialogue andinformation-sharing among donors in Jordan.48

The process was initiated in September 2000, andDLCG has come to function as a policy advisorygroup. By 2001, DLCG had established sixsectoral sub-groups, and the RC was mandated tofunction as their Secretariat.49 Various sub-groupshave established technical committees,50 andposition papers have been produced, providingrelevant information for policy dialogue withgovernment counterparts. Monthly DLCGmeetings are attended by Heads of Missions, UNagencies and government representatives.

It is generally acknowledged that UNDP, andspecifically its Resident Representative, havecontributed to strengthening inter-agencycooperation during the period under review. TheResident Coordinator Annual Report 1998, forexample, lists various achievements including theexpansion of common financial services and a

system-wide public information strategy, butnotes that desired results were not achieved indonor coordination and implementation of jointprogramming.51 Introduction of the CCA/UNDAFprocess in 2000 was conducive to efforts tostreamline and strengthen UN developmentassistance to Jordan. A cursory glance at resultsachieved by the UN coordination system in 2002indicates that although interagency collaborationhas been promoted through the aid coordinationdatabase, additional efforts were required in jointadvocacy, communication and campaigning activi-ties in order to strengthen synergies and linkages.

Operationalizing the UNDAF in mid-2003 led tothe establishment of three inter-agency workinggroups—on human rights, social developmentand community empowerment—which aim topromote policy dialogue and advocacy, capacity-building for local counterparts and servicedelivery (through small grants and seed funding forpilot projects). UNCT collaboration in producingThe Millennium Development Goals: Jordan Report2004 is perceived to be a benchmark for agencyand government collaboration and an indicationof effective UNDP strategic positioning.

By 2005, in addition to the aforementionedUNCT working groups, there were also workinggroups on the media, HIV/AIDS, crisis manage-ment and common administrative services. The2005 UNCT Results Matrix points to progressachieved in joint collaboration, particularly withregard to the MDGs, which are “becoming acommon frame of reference for government andcivil society organizations.”52 However, the

48 Resident Coordinator Annual Report 2000 (UNRC Jordan, 2000), 9.49 The sub-groups cover: micro-finance/micro-enterprise; social development; water; governance/public sector reform;

environment; and information and communication technology/ICT. See Resident Coordinator Annual Report 2001(UNRC Jordan, 2001).

50 The Water Sector Group is particularly active with eight technical committees covering desalination, cost recovery, infor-mation management, institutional reform and policy, planning and allocation/ground water, private sector participationand commercialization, and unaccounted-for water. The sub-group on Environment has three technical committees cov-ering biodiversity conservation, capacity-building for the Ministry of Environment, and healthcare waste management.

51 The Resident Coordinator Annual Report 1998 (UNRC Jordan, 1998) lists the following groups: Inter-AgencyCoordination Group (1995); Inter-Agency Task Force on Gender Issues (1995); Inter-Agency Task Force on PublicInformation and Advocacy (1995); UNAIDS Theme Group (1996); Inter-Agency Task Force on Poverty and SocialDevelopment (1996); Inter-Agency Task Force on Information Technology (1996); Inter-Agency Eco-Efficiency TaskForce (1997); Inter-Agency Working Group on Human Rights (1998); and CCA Advisory Group (1998).

52 Resident Coordinator Annual Report 2005 (UNRC Jordan, 2005), 3.



Resident Coordinator Annual Report 2005 alsopoints to areas requiring additional efforts in thearea of building synergy, including the difficultyof balancing overall UN with single-agencymessages, and the continuing need to consolidatemultiple databases sponsored by different agencies.

The more recent Resident Coordinator AnnualReport 2006 and minutes of various inter-agencymeetings reflect progress towards joint program-ming facilitated not only by the CCA/UNDAFprocess, but also by collaborative efforts toaddress the MDGs. The format of the annualreports now includes comprehensive matrices ofUNCT results, use of fund, and work plans forthe following year.

While the role of the RC has clearly beeneffective in pushing forward these processes andinstitutionalizing linkages between disparateefforts, some challenges remain. Examples ofthese include an over-reliance on the RC Unit,53

inadequate financial commitment or agencyallocations for joint activities, and difficulty inagreeing on a contractual modality that is satisfac-tory to UN agencies involved in joint projects.

3.4.3 ACCESSING THE REGIONALCOOPERATION MECHANISM

The Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF)for Arab States enabled UNDP to “adoptindependent positions on human developmentissues for the region, to draw attention to needsthat are difficult to address because of theirsensitivity, to seek consensus or partial agreementon them and to advocate for change.”54 In particular,this pertains to sensitive issues such as corruptionand accountability, independent judiciary systems,HIV/AIDS and women’s empowerment, as wellas to the need to mobilize awareness among policymakers and civil society as part of addressing the

deficits highlighted in the UNDP Arab HumanDevelopment Reports (AHDRs).

UNDP Jordan responded to the deficits identi-fied in the AHDRs by highlighting links withvarious ongoing local projects that focus onpoverty, women’s empowerment and capacitydevelopment.55 The stated RCF objectives haveimportant implications for strengthening thestrategic positioning of UNDP Jordan in termsof more robustly pursuing its comparativeadvantage in human rights-related areasgenerally perceived as sensitive.56 The HumanDevelopment and Human Rights in the Regionof Arab States project launched in 2001 alsoserves to pave the way for greater synergiesbetween UNDP in Jordan and other countries inthe Arab world. This has already been reflectedin UNDP-supported projects in Jordan, such asstrengthening the justice system and tacklingcorruption. However, the public commitment tohuman rights does not seem to have beentranslated into widening the realm of strategicentry points through which UNDP Jordan couldmore effectively promote and support the rights-based approach to human development in Jordan,or to ensuring that in practice cross-cuttingapproaches are linked within the three thematicareas in the CPO cycle.

Some constraints are inherent in the RCFmechanism itself. Though beyond the scope ofthe present evaluation, a review of the RCFprogramme points to various strengths but indicatesthat there are several weaknesses that havehampered effective implementation and sustain-ability of interventions—with implications onsynergy. Such limitations include the RegionalBureau for Arab States’ management of theregional programme, which operates more or lessseparately from the management of the country

53 The RC Unit is currently staffed by one professional, one support staff member and commissioning consultants for spe-cific tasks when necessary.

54 Evaluation of UNDP’s Regional Cooperation Framework for the Arab States (2002–2005) (UNDP, 2005).55 Jordan Country Programme: Projects Related to the Outcomes of the Arab Human Development Report (UNDP

Jordan, no date).56 See, for example, a recent study addressing corruption in Jordan: The Impact of Favouritism on the Business Climate:

A Study on Waste in Jordan. Final Draft. (German Development Institute, May 2006).



programme and means that the UN ResidentCoordinator/UNDP Resident Representative maybe minimally involved with regional programmecoordinators. This has clear implications withregard to identifying strategic options and entrypoints at the country-office level. There have alsobeen missed opportunities in terms of linking theRCF with efforts to strengthen implementation ofthe UNDAF through joint programming involvingUNCT and DLCG. This is particularly pertinentto the RCF Programme on Governance in theArab Region, which is considered to have “madesignificant breakthroughs in creating awarenessamong key opinion makers in the region,” andcould be used to greater advantage in thegovernance area in Jordan.57

3.5 UNDP AND MAINSTREAMINGGENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN JORDAN

Evaluating UNDP strategic positioning in Jordanalso requires assessment of integration of genderand human rights concerns into its programmeinterventions. The government is committed tosupporting and promoting gender equality in thecourse of development. It recognizes that movingJordan toward a strong knowledge economycannot take place without recognizing andstrengthening the important role both men andwomen play in development. Jordan has alsostated its commitment to promoting humanrights, specifically to advancing community-baseddevelopment by strengthening the voice andparticipation of citizens—particularly those thatare poor, marginalized and vulnerable. The2003–2007 CPO makes explicit mention ofpromoting human rights and mainstreaminggender in all its activities.

Gender-based inequality with respect to differentopportunities and conditions remains entrenched

in Jordan’s society and economy, even though thecountry ranks among the best in the region interms of gross domestic income.58 Gender gapsin education are comparatively narrow for theArab Region, and the combined gross enrolmentrate for primary, secondary and tertiary schoolscontinued to be slightly biased in favour offemales, with 79 percent compared to 77 percentfor males by 2002–2003. However, this trend isnot matched by similar progress in Jordanianwomen’s participation in decision-making or inincreasing women’s share in non-agriculturalwage and salaried employment.

Jordanian women’s economic earning powerremains at the ratio of 0.31 (estimated female tomale earned income). As pointed out in a recentreport, “the issue of gender empowerment iscontroversial, both at official and societallevels,”59 and is reflected in the country’s reserva-tions with respect to accession to the Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms of Discriminationagainst Women in 1992. Jordan remains acountry where issues such as violence againstwomen continue to pose gender and humanrights concerns.60

In addition, development initiatives have steeredJordanian women, as well as female migrantworkers, to the burgeoning QIZs where exploitationis high, wages are relatively low, and opportunitiesfor women’s advancement are virtually non-existent.In 2002, 64 percent of employees in theseenterprises were women, 85 percent of whomhad high-school levels of education.61 This trend in women’s employment is partly due tocontraction in agricultural opportunities, thedisappearance of public-sector jobs underrestructuring and the relatively few opportunitiesfor women to take advantage of micro-creditlending and small-business opportunities.

57 Evaluation of UNDP’s Regional Cooperation Framework for the Arab States (2002–2005) (UNDP, 2005), 49.58 Relative to 177 countries covered in the 2005 Human Development Report, Jordan ranked 73 in terms of gross domestic

income. See 2005 Human Development Report (UNDP, 2005), 300.59 Brief Overview of MDGs in Jordan (UNDP Jordan, no date).60 See Arab Regional Resource Centre on Violence Against Women, http://www.amanjordan.org 61 Jordan Human Development Report 2004 (UNDP, 2004), p.94–95.



A commitment to gender mainstreaming—to enddiscrimination and promote equity—requiresthat assumptions about development problemsand their solutions receive clarification andattention. Although to date gender has mainlybeen linked as a cross-cutting issue in thepoverty-reduction area within UNDP, as sectionsbelow demonstrate, gender issues and theirimplications permeate all three areas of UNDPintervention in the country, including governance,poverty and the environment.

Translating government goals for gender integrationand attention to human rights into concreteachievements within UNDP country programmeshas remained a challenge. Government commit-ment to advancing human rights has become acentral requisite in development programming,particularly in the area of governance. Rights-based approaches to ‘duty-bearers’ (the state) and‘rights-holders’ (the people) aim to ensure that allparties advance and participate in the realizationof human rights as rights enjoyed by all.Governance reforms—specifically measures todecentralize and empower local communities,invitations for greater participation by CSOs andthe citizenry in plans and decisions that affecttheir lives—are viewed as part of the process ofadvancing respect for, and achievement of,human rights standards.

With respect to gender, the 1998–2002 CCFmentions the “advancement of women and genderconcerns” in proposed strategy and thematicareas, but does not specifically address the issueof gender within the context of the UNDPgovernance, poverty or environment practiceareas. In the case of the 2003–2007 CPO, womenwere the focus of only the thematic practice areaof community development (poverty reduction).There was little, if any, reference to women ineither regional development within Jordan or inrelation to administrative reform.

Limitations in effectively mainstreaming genderinto UNDP programmatic interventions inJordan are partly due to constraints within Jordanitself. However, they also reflect the ongoing

challenge to UNDP of mainstreaming genderinto all its practice areas and sub-practices.Thoughstrides are being made, gender continues to beregarded largely as a cross-cutting issue withinthe area of poverty reduction, and has yet to befully integrated and operationalized in areas suchas governance and the environment.

For effective programming and mainstreaming ofgender into UNDP interventions, gender mustbe understood as referring to the social roles andrelationships of women and men. Women andmen are socialized differently throughout theworld, and it is necessary to take such differencesinto account in order to ensure that developmentinterventions do not discriminate between menand women in their access to resources andopportunities—and that interventions promoteequal rights.

In addition, a distinction needs to be madebetween gender equality and women's empower-ment, both of which are UNDP goals. It is notpossible to achieve gender equality without ananalysis of the actual roles and relationships ofwomen and men in the specific social, culturaland political context, and of how developmentinterventions will, as a result, affect each. Ifgender analysis reveals a backlog of discrimina-tion against women (or men) due to their genderroles, then special investment should be made forwomen’s (or men’s) empowerment, either as partof a given project or as a separate project. Suchanalysis likely prompted the establishment of aGender Unit within the Department of Statisticsin Jordan, but mainstreaming gender moresystematically into development programmingremains a challenge.

Similar considerations are inherent to integratingand mainstreaming human rights in development,with implications for UNDP programming inJordan. The human rights-based approach todevelopment is still relatively new within UNDPitself and remains insufficiently understoodthroughout the development community. Despiteclear statements from the government about itscommitment to integrating human rights in



development, and UNDP Jordan’s response andarticulation of this objective in the CPO,concrete operationalization of this commitmentinto actual project outputs and outcomes has yetto be achieved and appears largely tacked oninstead of being systematically included.


Assessment of the strategic positioning andoptions of UNDP in Jordan reveals strengths andlimitations. UNDP selection of interventions inthe thematic areas of governance, poverty and theenvironment remains highly relevant to Jordan’snational priorities; however, over time, specificdirections and needs within and among theseareas have shifted.

Jordanian priorities during the 1998–2002 CCFprogramme cycle were to preserve the economicgains made since the early 1990s in order towithstand the effect of any further upheavals inthe region. To this end, the government putspecial emphasis on aligning the public sectorand developing the capacity of its people to joinand participate in the global economy. Structuraladjustments in the governance and economicspheres were guided by the IMF and requisitesfor Jordan’s entry into the WTO. The UNDPcountry programme supported the government’sreform of its taxation and financing system,created databases for more accurate compilationand monitoring of national statistics, and helpedbuild management capacity of governmentofficials in service of public-sector reform.Similarly, UNDP support to alleviating povertyand addressing environmental priorities focusedon targeted interventions, mainly capacity-building and training, for example, integratingICT into Knowledge Centres.

With the second programme cycle, the 2003–2007 CPO, UNDP and the government realizedthat: national needs are better served by lessfragmented and more strategically connectedinterventions, which can add value despite thelimited resources of UNDP as compared to otherbilateral and international donors and develop-

ment agencies in Jordan. During this period,UNDP refined and clarified its role as a catalystand facilitator, playing a supporting role asadvisor and advocate in policy reform anddevelopment, and demonstrating—through pilotprojects and other targeted initiatives—feasibleentry points to expanding needed interventions.In this period, UNDP incorporated into itsstrategy attention to closer connections betweenup- and downstream efforts in order to ensuredevelopment results were located in a receptivepolicy environment, such as progress in projectsin the environment sector contributing to theestablishment of the MOEn. UNDP alsoensured that changes in policy could, in turn, beused to an advantage in new development initia-tives. For example, micro-credit and similartraining initiatives emerged out of publicadministrative reform trickling down to thegovernorate level.

UNDP was positioned to become more respon-sive to national needs and priorities through thepartnerships and linkages created or reinforcedduring this period. UNDP leadership in DLCG,and in relation to other UN agencies in Jordan,combined with its special partnership with thegovernment—which strengthened during thisperiod with the establishment of MOPIC—allcontributed to enhancing the strategic position ofUNDP as a key development player in Jordan.UNDP was also instrumental in leveragingfunding from other donors in critical sectors,such as GEF work in the environment sector, andin creating synergies with other national andregional efforts.

Constraints on UNDP strategic options inJordan arise from many sources. One has to dowith its limited funding relative to other donors,which may also limit its leadership and influencein certain sectors. For example, USAID and otherdonors have dominated the poverty-reductionsector. UNDP has also largely withdrawn frominterventions in the environment sector forsimilar reasons. In addition, UNDP in Jordan isoccasionally constrained by the government, as itis not obligated to coordinate with UNDP or anyother agency.



In other respects, UNDP strategic positioning isshaped by its partnerships in Jordan; for example,the focus is mainly on government departments,officials and royal NGOs, and less so on otherNGOs and private-sector actors. As such,UNDP may indeed be responsive to nationalpriorities as defined by the government, but lessso to national needs defined by the rest of thepopulation and other actors.

Strategic positioning is also a function ofassumptions about the causes of and solutions for development challenges, and of strategiccoherence in addressing them. In this respect,synergy and linkages do not simply denotepartnerships, which UNDP has clearly fostered,but also underscore the integral links betweenthematic areas and progress toward humandevelopment in Jordan. Jordan has largelydefined development in the three thematic andinter-connected spheres of governance, povertyreduction and the environment as progress towardpositioning Jordan as a knowledge economy inthe global society. While this is the long-termgoal, Jordan’s immediate and ongoing goal is toreduce debt, narrow the trade deficit, attractforeign investment and maintain politicalstability. All of this must take place in a countrythat has yet to address basic challenges ingovernance reform, poverty and unemploymentand protection of the environment—all of whichare by-products and consequences (somepositive, some less so) of the very developmentJordan seeks. For example, public-sector reformis necessary to attract foreign investment, yet, atthe same time, it can reduce the government’sability to provide jobs while expanding a safetynet for the poor.

Protection of the environment is critical in acountry with meagre natural resources andconstant risk of water shortages. While bettermanagement of environmental challenges will

reap results in the improved health and well-being of the population, and in enhancedopportunities for employment and humandevelopment, attracting investment in suchventures as QIZs may ruin the environment inthose areas and increase pockets of poverty andexploitation, particularly for women. Similarly,different assumptions made about the causes ofproblems such as poverty may lead to more or lesseffective interventions by UNDP and questionableaffect on alleviating poverty.

UNDP recognition of the centrality of thematicand programmatic synergy in effective strategicpositioning is demonstrated in its support to the2004 Jordan National Human Development Report,a project in the poverty-reduction area under the CPO. UNDP is extending its support tooperationalizing the principles underlying itsNational Human Development Report (NHDR) asactual programming and advocacy tools. Theresult is a document that is, perhaps, the mostcoherent statement to date of a strategicallyconnected vision of UNDP interventions inJordan—especially in poverty reduction andgovernance—in keeping with the priorities of thegovernment, the MDGs, AHDRs, etc.62

Finally, UNDP strategic positioning with respectto mainstreaming human rights and genderequality into its interventions is constrained byboth the operating environment of Jordan—despite clear pronouncements from the govern-ment about its commitment to advancing theserights—and the relative newness of attention tomainstreaming such issues into all practice areasat the corporate level at UNDP. Still, UNDP hasbeen proactive in positioning itself in these areas.For example, activities of the UNCT Inter-Agency Task Force on Human Rights, establishedin May 2000, included capacity development ofNGOs for promoting awareness of human rightsissues in Jordan. Support was also provided to the

62 The document, ‘NHDR – A Tool for Programming and Advocacy: Main Developmental Needs Identified in the JordanNHDR 2004 and Related Current and Possible Interventions by UNDP’ (UNDP Jordan 2005), connects ongoing proj-ects with outcomes identified in the NHDR, and demonstrates linkages with UNDAF, the AHDRs, the MDGs, theMulti-year Funding Framework, and reform priorities in the Government of Jordan’s National Social and EconomicDevelopment Plan 2004-2006.



establishment of the National Centre for HumanRights under the law in 2002. In addition,human rights issues are reportedly also beingaddressed as a critical cross-cutting issue in theforthcoming CCA.63

The challenge for UNDP lies in balancing thepursuit of its comparative advantage and leadershipin human development, thereby strengthening itsstrategic positioning, with the increasing stress inthe UN system on aid harmonization and jointprogramming as part of the UN reform process.In reality, the relatively proactive UNCT andDLCG appear to have encouraged UNDP

Jordan to leave the field to others. While this is asound strategic option in the water-managementsector, it appears that UNDP Jordan did notdevote sufficient attention to its strategic options,nor has it effectively pursued additional strategicopportunities to promote the rights-basedapproach to human development. A case in pointis supporting the media sector in Jordan, whereUSAID has currently taken the lead. UNDPstrategic support of the media sector—forexample the Centre for Defending Freedom ofJournalists, established in 1999—would beconducive to strengthening the media outreachstrategy of UNDP Jordan (see Chapter 5).64

63 Communication to the ADR Mission from the Resident Representative in Jordan.64 Media Freedom Network, Centre for Defending Freedom of Journalists: Purpose, Objectives, Targeted Groups, Programmes

and Partners, http://cdfj.org


C H A P T E R 4 . U N D P C O N T R I B U T I O N T O N A T I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T R E S U L T S 3 5

This section evaluates the effectiveness andsustainability of UNDP country programmes inJordan, highlights the main outcomes achieved atthe national level during the CCF and CPOcycles, and assesses UNDP contribution to theseresults in terms of key outputs. It also assessescurrent progress in achieving outcomes in thethree thematic areas of governance, povertyreduction and the environment, and considersfactors that may facilitate or hinder progress—both at the national level and in terms of UNDPcountry office operations.

4.1 UNDP PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTION TO MAJORCHANGES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

While it is difficult to attribute major changes at thenational level exclusively to UNDP interventions,UNDP programmes have had a discernible impact.

� UNDP has played a critical catalyst roleattracting other donor support to contributeto Jordan’s development—as a leader in theDLCG, for example.

� UNDP programmes in Jordan have had anaffect on policy reform, including:• Support to capacity-building of MOEn;• Establishment of the Aid Coordination

Unit at the Ministry of Planning and anInternational Cooperation to plan andcoordinate development funding;

• Commitment to public administrationreform and decentralization;

• Increase of the effectiveness of theParliament;

• Reform of taxation and revenue administration;

• Reform and liberalization of nationalpolicies to attract foreign investment;

• Increase in the awareness of democraticgovernance and commitment topromoting good governance; and

• Establishment of the National Centre forHuman Rights to monitor and promotehuman rights in Jordan.

� UNDP contributions to promoting sustainablehuman development included:• Demonstration of the role of small and

medium enterprises (SMEs) for reducingunemployment and alleviating poverty;

• Attention to gender equity and greaterintegration of women’s concerns and needsin development;

• Integration of ICT into training, capacity-building and other interventions;

• Support of the development of theDepartment of Statistics database andthe Gender Unit;

• Creation of a national strategy for youthwith the participation of and local CSOs;

• Human development approach to povertyreduction through the Second HumanDevelopment Report of Jordan;65 and

• Improvement in the capacity to monitorpoverty and make progress toward the MDGs.

� UNDP contributed to national, sub-nationaland regional-level efforts in waste management.

� UNDP contributed to demonstrating, throughspecial projects, the integral links between

Chapter 4

UNDP CONTRIBUTION TO NATIONALDEVELOPMENT RESULTS

65 Jordan Human Development Report, Building Sustainable Livelihoods (MOPIC, UNDP, Jordanian Hashemite Fund forHuman Development, and Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, 2004).


C H A P T E R 4 . U N D P C O N T R I B U T I O N T O N A T I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T R E S U L T S3 6

environmental protection and sustainability,employment opportunities and poverty reduction.

� UNDP contributed to raising awarenessabout the importance of environmentalprotection and conservation.

� UNDP contributed to the development ofnational strategy for environmental manage-ment and protection, including:• The 2003 MOEn National Biodiversity

Strategy and Action Plan;• National Strategy and Action Plan to

Combat Desertification; and• The Integrated Framework for

Environmental Management and EnergyDevelopment (for example, the 2003Dibeen Forest Plan).

4.2 UNDP PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEY DEVELOPMENT RESULTS

In evaluating UNDP programme contributionsto development results in promoting democraticgovernance, reducing poverty and protecting theenvironment in Jordan, it is important torecognize that UNDP operates within a complexgroup of other actors. Among these actors areinternational financial institutions and bilateraldonors that stand out in terms of their leverageand the resources at their command. Moreover,the overall impact of UNDP programmaticinterventions is affected by national and regionalevents, shifting priorities of the government andchanges in the points of contact with stakeholdersin different sectors.

The 1998–2002 CCF cycle comprised a total of55 projects in areas of good governance, povertyalleviation, and environmental protection andconservation. Environmental conservation wasthe biggest programme (accounting for 46 percentof the budget), followed by good governance (39 percent), poverty alleviation (9 percent) andICT (about 6 percent). Projects and programmesfor a total value of $24.5 million have been

implemented or approved. Core funds allocatedfor this period were $2,282,000; non-core fundswere $21,640,000. The UNDP programme inJordan during this period represented less than 1percent of total overseas development assistance.66

During the 2003–2007 CPO cycle, a total of 44projects have been implemented, includingseveral which are continuing from the previousCCF cycle. Once again, environment constitutesthe biggest sector, with 11 projects that accountfor 44 percent of the 2006 budget, financedmainly by GEF and other donors. It is followedby 18 poverty alleviation and gender projects, whichaccount for approximately 26 percent of the 2006budget, and the 15 governance projects take upapproximately 8 percent of the budget. One mineaction project constitutes approximately 19percent of the budget. The total sum required toachieve programme objectives is $27.5 million.UNDP Jordan’s core programme funds and theresources from the thematic trust funds are usedtogether with resources from the government andbilateral donors. The government is the largestcontributor to UNDP programmes in Jordan.

4.3 DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

UNDP has devoted considerable attention andresources to improving governance in Jordan.UNDP supports the government’s efforts toreform governance and administrative structuresso as to achieve greater economic and politicalstability, and to address national priorities in the global environment. UNDP programmaticinterventions in this key area include support toenhancing and building national capacities forgood governance by:

� Supporting policies that ensure democraticgovernance;

� Assisting the institutional development ofthe Parliament;

� Strengthening justice and human rightsinstitutions;

66 UNDP Cooperation in Jordan (UNDP, April 11, 2006).



� Supporting the creation of a National YouthStrategy;

� Improving access to information through e-governance;

� Supporting public administration reform; and

� Strengthening the capacity of the govern-ment to act against corruption.

In its role as facilitator of policy dialogue andadvocacy, especially during the CPO cycle,UNDP provided assistance to political dialogue,supported the mobilization of financial resourcesfor public administration and policy reform, andcontributed to improved coordination of interna-tional cooperation, particularly within the UNsystem. UNDP programmes in Jordan played acatalyst role in the design and implementation ofspecific projects related to key governancechallenges, and in demonstrating the effective-ness of such projects.

Box 1 compares key intended outcomes ofUNDP interventions in the area of governance ineach of the CCF and CPO cycles in Jordan.

4.3.1 SUPPORTING POLICIES THAT ENSUREDEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

The promotion of strategic approaches for policysupport has been a key priority for UNDP duringboth the CCF and CPO programme cycles,where activities related to a number of generalpolicy initiatives and covered a wide range ofgovernance issues, including:

� Reform of public administration andmanagement of human resources;

� Governance reforms and strengthening ofcertain departments such as MOPIC; and

� Strengthening the national capacity forpolicy analysis.

A common objective in these initiatives was tosupport the government in its efforts to developpublic policies with the necessary capacity toimplement economic, political and social reforms.

These efforts included needs-assessments studies,training and capacity development for institu-tional strengthening. During the CCF cycle,UNDP interventions focused mainly on a

1998–2002 CCF

� Computerization of Customs Procedures and Data for Improved Revenue Collection (Phases I & II)

� Strengthening of the Income Tax System

� Support to the Establishment of a Human Rights Department at the Prime Ministry

� Support to Establishment of Ombudsman Bureau (Diwan Al Ma’azalim)

� Strengthening the Role of Anti-Corruption Institutions

� Support for Jordan’s Integration into the Global Economy

� Support for Strategy Development and Institution Building in Jordan

� Support for AID Coordination and Management of Foreign Aid

2003–2007 CPO

� Policy Support for Democratic Governance (Strategic Planning & Capacity-building with the Ministryof Political Development; Development in the Youth Sector)

� Justice and Human Rights (Strengthening the Justice System, Establishment of the National Centrefor Human Rights; Support to Parliament)

� Public Administration Reform and Anti-Corruption (Strengthening the Income Tax Department;Improving the Property Tax Management and Collection; Strengthening the Capacity of Governmentand People to Act Against Corruption)

Box 1. Key Governance Initiatives



technocratic approach (see Box 1). This approachstressed capacity-building and training forspecific beneficiaries, but with limited attentionto broader ramifications and needs. Such needsincluded: expanding capacity-building andtraining to middle management in governmentdepartments (so as to instil management capacityand ensure institutional continuity); linkingcapacity-building to organizational development,particularly at the governorate and local levels;and linking all these efforts more strategicallywith policy development.

Since 2003, UNDP has responded to govern-ment needs by trying to develop broader, moreinclusive initiatives in which the concept ofpolicy support to government became a majorcomponent of its democratic governanceprogramme. UNDP has also assisted with thestrengthening of national institutions directedtowards improving human development. Themain intended outcomes and related outputs forthe CPO cycle included, for example, the UNDPpublication, Strategic Planning and Capacity-building with the Ministry of Political Development,intended to build the capacity, strategy and planof action of the Ministry of Political Developmentin order to make its policies more relevant toJordanian politics and social issues, includingpeople’s political participation in nationaldecision-making processes. This effort was tocontribute to an outcome of vital importance tothe Government of Jordan—decentralization ofgovernorates, including revenue collection.

Other UNDP projects in this area includedtechnical assistance to the development of aProgramme for Decentralization with MOPICand other key ministries, including the Ministryof Interior and the Ministry of MunicipalAffairs. Support was funded by the Nordic Fundthrough the United Nations Office for ProjectServices. Desk reviews and regional workshopswere conducted to identify constraints anddevelopment needs at the local level. However,assistance was suspended in light of the establish-ment of the Royal Initiative on Regionalization,which was to participate in formulating a national

vision on decentralization. Decentralizationremains a major priority of the government, andUNDP programmes have yet to yield tangibledevelopment results in this area.

Another key outcome in democratic governanceis progress toward gender equity and women’sequality. Projects in this area have included afocus on integrating women, with key outputsincluding the development of a strategy thatfocuses on women’s participation in municipalelections, and raising the media’s awareness ofpolitical development issues. From a strategicpoint of view, this policy initiative is particularlyencouraging, although it is too early to assess itsoutcomes, effectiveness and sustainability.

Another benchmark in UNDP results inpromoting democratic governance emerges fromUNDP training and capacity-building of theAnti-Corruption Department. Beginning in2004, this work has contributed to anotherimportant outcome of ratification of internationalconventions: The UN Convention on Anti-Corruption was ratified by the Government ofJordan in February 2005.

Inclusive democratic governance requires partici-pation by other key sectors of the society. Thegovernment has long been concerned with strategiesfor expanding youth participation in a countrywhere young people constitute a demographicmajority. UNDP programme interventions inthis area yielded successful outcomes. One wasthe development of the National Youth Strategy,the first ever in Jordan, along with its programmeof action. Implemented through the HigherYouth Council, this strategy is an extremelyimportant initiative by UNDP, one that hassignificant implications for social and economicdevelopment of young people. UNDP workedwith 76 youth centres around the country, andaround 90,000 people participated in the develop-ment of the Strategy, including 50,000 youthsand 40,000 parents. This was followed by a fullrestructuring exercise for the Higher YouthCouncil and the Youth and Sport Fund. Thegovernment allocated a budget of 6 million



Jordanian Dinars for the implementation of theStrategy and its Programme of Action. Acomputerized network for the Higher YouthCouncil and Youth and Sport Fund was developed,and the network has covered Youth Directoratesin all the governorates in the country.

The development of an Investment Strategy forthe Youth and Sport Fund, which is the financialarm for all youth and sport activities in thecountry, has provided new opportunities foryouth’s social, economic and political participation.Gender perspectives have also been taken intoaccount. Increased emphasis on youth concernsand issues at the national level is a significantresult of UNDP interventions. Given the government’s own commitment to youth, theseresults also indicate a strong potential for sustain-ability and the formation of new partnershipsamong UN agencies—for example, betweenUNDP and UNICEF—and with potentialinternational donors. The national programmewas developed on a cost-sharing basis, with thegovernment providing more than 80 percent ofthe budget. Such a major contribution hasenhanced ownership by the government and theimplementing partner.67

Policies and reforms that would have promotedstronger and more effective partnerships with theprivate sector have yet to realize intended outcomes,in turn affecting progress toward decentralization,job creation and poverty reduction.

4.3.2 ASSISTING THE INSTITUTIONALDEVELOPMENT OF PARLIAMENT

During the CCF cycle, UNDP technicalassistance to the Parliament of Jordan largelyfocused on strengthening the knowledge, skillsand capacity of Secretariat staff, as well astraining and research facilities for Members ofParliament. This project is currently in its secondphase.68 The key impetus for this initiative came from the government in order to improve

legislative and oversight functions particularly incurrent rules and regulations relating to globaltrade and investment issues. Key outcomesincluded support for Jordan’s integration into the global economy and support for strategydevelopment and institution building in Jordan.The first phase was effective in identifying andbeginning to address institutional needs, andincluded various outputs such as the developmentof a library, the design of a new trainingprogramme and a series of needs assessments(e.g., ICT, human resource development)conducted by international experts.

Since monitoring and evaluation mechanisms toassess the outcomes of these interventions arelimited, it is difficult to evaluate the extent towhich interventions with legislators were effective,or to identify which activities may be expanded orotherwise linked to interventions in the otherareas of governance (for example, policy supportto the government in general and the justicesector in particular).

Through a programme undertaken in coopera-tion with USAID, the current CPO cyclepromotes an outcome for strengthening the roleof the Parliament, focusing on institutionaldevelopment of the Secretariat and capacitydevelopment for all Members of Parliament.With a special focus on female parliamentarians,the project includes enhancement of research andlibrary services and will provide the Parliamentwith an e-voting system once the pertinentlegislation has been passed.

4.3.3 STRENGTHENING JUSTICE AND HUMANRIGHTS INSTITUTIONS

Strengthening the rule of law and promoting andprotecting human rights are the pillars ofdemocratic governance and of growing concernto the Government of Jordan in view of theircentrality in human development. Throughoutthe CCF and the current CPO, attention to

67 It is important to note that most of the current UNDP governance projects have a relatively high level of governmentcost-sharing.

68 This second phase of this initiative is funded by the Democratic Governance Thematic Trust Fund, UNDP and USAID.



interventions in this area has been highlighted inUNDP programmes. In addition to supportingthe Parliament and policy reform in Jordan,UNDP has concentrated specifically on strength-ening the justice system, including legislative andinstitutional capacity of the juvenile justicesystem and promotion of human rights.

UNDP was one of the first international organi-zations in Jordan to focus on human rights issuesin the late 1990s.69 The CCF incorporated clearoutcomes in this area to include strengtheningthe role of anti-corruption institutions andsupporting the establishment of an OmbudsmanBureau (Diwan Al Ma’azalim). However, itsadvocacy role in mobilizing other UN partners,civil society groups and universities was severelyconstrained due to the political sensitivitiesinvolved. UNDP Jordan limited its activities inthis area to a baseline study and a few trainingevents for police and judiciary staff, withoutmoving forward to effective dialogue at thenational level. The most important outcome ofthis preliminary phase of collaboration wasUNDP support to the Royal Commission onHuman Rights set up by the government. TheCommission was able to create a context thatattracted donors, including the EU and somebilateral agencies, to work in this sensitive areaand to fund the formulation of a programme forthe establishment of a National Centre for HumanRights (NCHR) in 2002. NCHR subsequentlyreplaced the Royal Commission as a keyimplementing agency for strengthening thecountry’s justice system.

The current CPO continues to focus attention onhuman rights and intended outcomes in this areainclude strengthening the justice system andsupporting the role of NCHR in monitoring andprotecting human rights. Since 2003, UNDP hasprovided support to NCHR in enhancing itscapacity to process, investigate and documenthuman rights complaints through specializedtraining workshops. UNDP has also providedequipment for developing the institutionalinfrastructure of the NCHR. Under the CPO,UNDP supported the centre in purchasingequipment for the Documentation Centre, and thecomplaints processing procedure was establishedand put into operation. This project was completedin December 2004. By 2005, NCHR was able tobuild a number of networks with various nationaland regional human rights institutions and comeup with its own operational strategy.

Given the political context, the establishment ofa permanent centre responsible for leadershipand centralizing all government activities in thearea of human rights is indeed a positive step anda significant outcome. However, notwithstandingits mandate, it remains unclear to what extentNCHR can make a decisive contribution toprotect and strengthen human rights in view ofthe current laws that curtail its scope as aneffective independent watchdog. This may callinto question the sustainability of NCHR as aneffective body, although the Government of Jordanhas continued to maintain a firm commitment topromoting human rights.70 Despite theseresults, not least the functioning of NCHR,considerable effort is still needed to achieve

The NCHR is able to act as mediator between people and the government. It has a mandate tomonitor transgression of human rights, take up complaints and follow them up to their finalresolution. The NCHR also has a duty to inform citizens of their legal rights as guaranteed by theconstitution, to seek the application of laws and international conventions and to provide freelegal advice for the poor. (Jordan Human Development Report 2004,UNDP 2004, p.107)

69 The delay in entering the field emanated from political conditions in the country until fairly recently—especially withthe establishment of the Royal Commission on Human Rights, which is a special initiative of the King.

70 While the legislative amendment of Law No.51/2006 is indeed very positive, it is not clear the extent to which the levelof “independence” given to the NCHR can allow it to act as a truly independent watchdog.



results in promoting gender equity under the law,specifically in protecting women and theirhuman rights—against domestic violence,honour killings, and discrimination in access tojobs and economic opportunities.

Sustaining and consolidating outcomes inprotection of human rights in Jordan requiresmore focused UNDP partnership strategies withNCHR and other relevant national organizationsin order to encompass effective external account-ability mechanisms, transparency, incentives andpreventative measures for protecting andimproving human rights.

Current UNDP efforts in the Jordanian justicesector were launched in 2004 through a projecton Strengthening the Justice System to EnsureObservance of Human Rights and Protection ofVulnerable Groups. This was a NEX projectimplemented by NCHR in collaboration withthe Ministry of Justice. Inputs included improvedprofessional training of judges, a more developedrole for the public prosecutor in protection ofhuman rights, and simplified litigationprocedures in Shari’a and regular civil courts.Expected outcomes included more access tojustice by vulnerable groups in conflict with thelaw, harmonization of domestic laws withJordan’s international legal obligations, andlegislative development to ensure the protectionof human rights especially of vulnerable groups.

The project provided training to approximately100 judges, public prosecutors and judicial staffin the six universal human rights principles andother relevant issues. Sustainability is expectedthrough the close collaboration and coordinationbetween the Ministry of Justice, the Judicial Counciland NCHR. A network of lawyers has beenestablished to facilitate access to justice for thevulnerable groups, including women and children,at minimal cost and sometimes free of charge.

In the second phase of the project, currentlybeing implemented, NCHR has held sixworkshops carried out in two phases. Both phasescovered: (i) fair trial procedures in accordance

with international standards; and (ii) interna-tional conventions for human rights. The successof this effort rests on achieving coherencebetween the Ministry of Justice, the JudicialCouncil, NCHR and the UNDP CountryProgramme through different but interrelatedprojects dealing with human rights issues.

Results also indicate that UNDP succeeded, tosome extent, in strengthening the analytical andoperational ability of the relevant justice authoritiesand personnel. It has also given strong impetus torelevant activities in the justice sector, as it hasthe capacity to identify the shortcomings fromwhich justice suffers and to establish priorities onthat basis. Jordan’s justice system has traditionallybeen insular and focused mainly on legalproblems at a relative distance from the reality ofsociety—for example, recurrent child or youthoffenders in conflict with the law and cases ofviolence against women that are not oftenaddressed. As such, future programmes could bedesigned more strategically, using a moreinclusive approach to capture the perceptions,concerns and needs of various actors—includingother national authorities, children and youthrepresentatives, affected female populationgroups, CSOs and NGOs—in their relationshipwith the justice system. Such an approach wouldhelp identify and interpret issues that havesubstantive policy and strategic implications forimproving people’s access to justice.

The establishment of a public system of legal aidfor impoverished and vulnerable groups iscommendable in that it promotes the right toequality. However, assessing the relevance andcoverage of this initiative was hampered by lackof reliable information on the specific numberand categories of people utilizing the services ofthe network. It was also not possible to gauge thequality of the training or how the judges whoreceived it have used this knowledge to improvetheir attitudes and practices, and whether theyhave incorporated new criteria to carry out theirprofessional services with a higher level of ability.This may be due to insufficient monitoring of theprogramme and follow-up activities.



Overall, anticipated outcomes in strengtheningaccess to justice and protection under the law areon track. However, challenges remain instrengthening access to justice and human rightsat the national level. Results have been limited interms of intended outcomes—that is, strength-ened legislative provision and institutionalcapacity for justice, human rights and legislativebodies.71

Challenges to the effectiveness of UNDPinterventions revolve around several considera-tions. For example, it will not be possible to offeradequate access to justice to poor and vulnerablegroups, if there are insufficient numbers of publicdefenders, if they are not paid an adequate salary,and if they are not trained on an ongoing basisbased on a rights-based framework. Similardifficulties arise if methods for strengthening thejudiciary are not backed by national policy. Inaddition, the problem of imprisoned children anddeveloping national legislation to address all ofthe dimensions of the prison system—frominfrastructure and training of prison personnel torehabilitation of children into society andcountering cultural attitudes that do not tackleviolence against women—demand hugeresources that UNDP does not possess.

The role of UNDP as a facilitator of advocacyand policy dialogue could be used to mobilizeadditional resources to address such issues at thenational level, thus contributing to more effectiveharmonization of efforts among donors andactors. This is particularly important with thelarger donors, such as the EU and USAID.UNDP may consider becoming more proactiveand taking the lead in drafting relevant donorproposals for areas that require cooperativeefforts, while ensuring that such proposals explic-itly reflect UNDP comparative institutionaladvantage as the policy advisor in this sphere.UNDP can continue to demonstrate linkagesbetween up- and downstream interventions, withtargeted pilot projects and programmes that canbe up-scaled and linked to wider initiatives.

4.3.4 IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFORMATIONTHROUGH E-GOVERNANCE

UNDP programmes in this area includedsupport to the merger of the value-added andincome tax systems, both of which are criticalcomponents in Jordan’s efforts to reform publicadministration, attract foreign investment,streamline public expenditure and in generalprepare the economy for participation in theglobal system. Outputs included: support for thedevelopment of e-government; policy adoptedfor education and higher education; e-services;and most significantly—during both the CCFand the CPO cycles—establishing plans for ICT incubators.

During the current CPO cycle, a project to buildcapacity for improved property tax managementand collection is ongoing. In 2004, software and hardware were purchased and installed,programmes developed, and the property taxsystem was piloted in two municipalities(Madaba and Irbid). After the pilot municipali-ties, the project expanded to include 40 sites.Property tax revenue is expected to grow from 4million to 6 million Jordanian Dinars. Sinceproperty tax is collected by municipalities, thiswill mean higher revenues for the boroughs and,as a consequence, more services for marginalizedand poor people are envisaged. Successful outcomesin these projects are critical to the government’sefforts to decentralize and equip local governoratesand municipalities to meet the human develop-ment needs of their residents.

Two additional projects at the Ministry of Finance,e-accounting and e-procurement, were preparedfor implementation in 2005. They are fullyfunded by the Government of Italy. The firstactivities are feasibility and scoping studies,including pilots that will provide ‘proof ofconcept’ for both projects. The pilots are expectedto contribute to intended outcomes of integratingICT into economic and political functions at alllevels, and to prepare Jordan for its competitiverole as a knowledge economy.

71 Multi-year Funding Framework Results Reporting (UNDP Jordan, 2005).



4.3.5 SUPPORTING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM

Administrative reform remains a major issue ofconcern in Jordan, and the government hasadopted various measures72 to bring aboutchanges in its administrative machinery and toreorganize itself in order to better implementnational development policies and programmes.Improving public administration has been astrategic priority for UNDP since the beginningof the CCF cycle in 1998. Key objectives were tosupport the government in its efforts to improvethe public sector with the necessary capacity toimplement economic, infrastructural and socialreforms and, through such efforts, to generatepositive outcomes in strengthening the efficiencyof revenue collection and reducing corruption. Forexample, the project to support Aid Coordinationand the Management of Foreign Aid at MOPICwas completed. Under the CPO, negotiations wereheld in late 2004 with government counterpartsfor support to the service delivery component ofthe Public Sector Reform Programme, scheduledfor implementation in 2005.

Two UNDP initiatives were particularly successfulin demonstrating results in this area. Both wereimplemented over the two programme cycles.73

Computerization of Customs Procedures andData for Improved Revenue Collection (1997–2005): Executed by the Jordanian CustomsDepartment and the United Nations Conferenceon Trade and Development (UNCTAD), theproject was aimed at computerizing customsprocedures through the implementation of thesoftware programme ASYCUDA++ in allcustoms offices nationwide, streamlining customsprocedures and upgrading human resourcesthrough various training activities. The proposedsystem has been installed and is operational.The introduction of a computerized customsinformation system, plus computerization and

ongoing training has led to improvement in thesystem of control of entries, which was essentialto combat corruption and to increase the level ofcollection of duties. According to the government,Jordan now represents a model for the Arabregion in this particular field.

Strengthening the Income Tax Department forImproved Revenue Collection (1996–2006):This was a NEX project executed and implementedby the Income and Sales Tax Department. As amajor national e-government initiative, it wasdeveloped on a cost-sharing basis with theGovernment of Jordan, as represented by theMinistry of Finance and the Income and SalesTax Department, where more than two thirds ofthe funding came from the government. Theadoption of a new computerized system involvedtraining the department’s staff to adopt thesystem, transformation of the department’smanagement and certain changes to laws andregulations. All of this has helped to create anefficient system to maintain a record of alltaxpayers in the country and to sustainablyincrease the level of tax collection.

An independent evaluation, carried out by theIMF in 2004,74 reports encouraging results in theincrease in the number of taxpayers by 8–10percent, and of tax revenues by 9 percent. It isworth mentioning that the user-friendly adoptionof the system—that is, e-services that can beaccessed through the Income and Sales TaxDepartment Web site—has significantly contributedto greater transparency and accountability on thepart of the government.75 Also, the coherence andcoordination between the different tax revenuecollection departments has been enhancedthrough easier access to relevant information.

In addition, this initiative has contributed to newpartnerships between the government anddonors. Such partnerships aim to enhance the

72 These include various reforms aimed at reducing the fiscal deficit, opening up the economy, liberalizing trade, financeand markets in general, and a reduction in the public sector cost and size.

73 Government cost-sharing was significant, accounting for over two-thirds of both initiatives.74 Evaluation Report: IMF Support to Jordan 1989-2004 (International Monetary Fund, Independent Evaluation Office,

December 2005).75 www.incometax.gov.jo



public financial management system in thecountry. USAID is currently planning to enterinto a partnership with the Income and Sales TaxDepartment, and UNDP is working closely withthe project’s management and the department toexplore cooperation and coordination mechanisms.

4.3.6 ANTICIPATED PROGRESS IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE

OutcomesIn promoting good governance, UNDP programmeinterventions have achieved significant resultsover the period under review. In particular, this isevident in the range of public administrationreforms, such as: reforming and strengtheningthe income tax system; computerizing customsprocedures; creating an anti-corruption department;and establishing NCHR and other reforms inlaws and legislation, thus enhancing Jordan’sposition in the global economy. The most significant outcomes of UNDP interventions arethose most in line with the government’s interestsand priorities.

Effectiveness and SustainabilityThe general effectiveness of UNDP interven-tions in this area is bolstered by the seriouscommitment of the government to move towardincreased transparency, accountability and otherunderpinnings of good governance. Central tothe government’s priorities in this regard is thereform of the public sector in order to addresspressing national priorities and situate Jordanmore competitively in the global system.Projections for sustainability of these interven-tions are also guided by the same principle.

Other factors determining effectiveness andsustainability concern involvement and participa-tion of various sectors of the population indevelopments and decisions that affect their lives.Attention to gender implications has been largelyconfined to specific projects, but less so in theoverall approach to strengthening good governance.

Under the democratic governance service line,gender is mainstreamed in the UNDP-supportedNational Youth Strategy 2005–2009, where

50 percent of participants consulted during thepreparation of the strategy were female. The2005 Annual Report of the Support toParliament project mentions gender as part ofcapacity development of Members of Parliament,but the actual project document is couched ingender-neutral language. In the current anti-corruption project, which continues the projectimplemented during the earlier 1998–2002 CCF,the gender dimension is rather weak.

ImpactAlthough results are encouraging and specificprojects have generally yielded the immediateoutcomes anticipated, long-term outcomes andimpact have yet to be assessed. Several factorsplay a role here and include: competing mandatesor requirements by various donors; insufficientcapacity within critical government agencies,particularly at middle-level management whereinstitutional continuity and development haveyet to be ensured; lack of sufficient resources atUNDP itself for large-scope projects; very weakmonitoring and evaluation systems to trackresults over the short and long term; and somefragmentation in projects—a phenomenon morepronounced in the poverty reduction area—thatare not strategically linked in a coherent visionand plan for promoting democratic governance in Jordan.

Other challenges arise in the national andregional environment. Jordan remains highlyvulnerable to events and upheavals in the region,and the attention and budget of the governmentoften shift in response to emerging priorities.Persisting social and economic problems withinthe country—those of poverty, unemploymentand environmental degradation—continue to puta strain on government resources and progresstoward reform, particularly in the degree ofdecentralization the Government of Jordanhopes to achieve.

Explicit attention to gender equality and humanrights is a recent development, and UNDP itselfis still grappling with how such issues should be mainstreamed into practice areas and



operationalized into programmatic interventionsin order to yield desired outcomes and results.Jordan is also struggling with these issues in asociety where discrimination against womenpersists; young people feel at a loss or ill-equippedto deal with modern challenges; the poor and themarginalized have yet to find a voice, to articulatetheir needs and demands, and to participate moredirectly in making sure their development needsare addressed; the private sector has not yetdeveloped the capacity and resources to assume amajor role in job creation and development; andwhere government bureaucracies are naturallyresistant to radical changes.

Among the lessons that could guide futureinterventions are the strengthening of UNDP inJordan in its dual role as a catalyst and facilitatorin development and encouraging broaderregional dialogue and participation. Conductedthrough the Programme on Governance in theArab Region and other venues, this dialogueshould encompass approaches, good practicesand other promising interventions so as toadvance democratic governance in Jordan. Mediaand advocacy can also play a role, and UNDP hasrecently hired a media associate to plan andpromote such efforts.

Effective interventions that would have a lastingimpact and produce anticipated sustainable outcomesand results also require more attention to thestrategic linkages among UNDP interventions—and those of others—in and across the threepractice areas. Such linkages are important notonly for the benefit of better coordination of theUNDP country programme and harmonizationwith other partners and stakeholders, but more importantly, for demonstrating to theGovernment of Jordan the critical synergies andinterrelations between efforts and outcomes inone area with those in another. Clear linkageshave to be made and demonstrated: between

poverty reduction and environmental protection;between public administrative reform, povertyreduction and job creation; between the integrationof gender and human rights initiatives into allareas advancing human development in Jordan,and so on. Given the limited amount of resourcesUNDP has at its disposal in Jordan, theselinkages and synergies may be achieved throughinnovative ways that include more south-southcoordination and networking, more coherentlylinked up- and downstream efforts, and moreprojects designed specifically to cross and linkthematic areas.

4.4 POVERTY REDUCTION

While poverty in Jordan declined significantlyfrom 21 percent in 1997 to 14 percent in 2003, itremains widespread. The proportionate deficit ofactual consumption of the poor under the povertyline declined from 5 to 3 percent during the sameperiod. However, the differences between ruraland urban dimensions of poverty have actuallyincreased between 1997 and 2002. Rural areas have50 percent more poverty than urban areas, andrural poverty is declining at a much slower rate.76

Poverty reduction, therefore, continues to pose amajor challenge in Jordan’s development. UNDPhas consistently addressed the challenge ofpoverty in its country programmes, and itssupport in this area has focused on:77

� Improving MDG country reporting andpoverty monitoring;

� Contributing to private-sector development;

� Mainstreaming gender;

� Encouraging civil society participation indevelopment;

� Making ICT for development work for thepoor; and

76 Jordan: An Evaluation of World Bank Assistance for Poverty Reduction, Health and Education. A Country Assistance Evaluation(World Bank, Operations Evaluation Department, 2004).

77 2004 Annual Report for Jordan (UNDP, 2004).



� Support to de-mining activities, viewed as anational security issue.78

UNDP served as a facilitator in policy dialogueand advocacy, supporting the mobilization offinancial resources for poverty reduction fromdonors such as USAID, and contributing toimproved coordination among donors, particularlythose within the UN system. During the CPOcycle, UNDP provided assistance to facilitatepolitical dialogue around issues of poverty—such as removing discrimination against women—and public administration reform to promotebetter partnerships with the private sector.UNDP programmes in Jordan also served animportant catalyst role, demonstrating theeffectiveness of a number of pilot projects andtargeted initiatives related to key povertyreduction challenges in the country.

The principle objective during the CCF was toensure that the government was equipped withthe necessary tools to maintain poverty eradicationas a priority on the national development agenda,and to reduce the country’s actual poverty level bya substantial margin. The intended outcome wasthat “Jordan’s poor will have significantly betteropportunities of becoming integrated in to thenational economy and lifting themselves up bymeans of appropriate access to marketable skills,affordable credit, and other assets that areessential for sustainable livelihoods.”79 Socialintegration—integrating Jordan to play a role in the global economy—was central to thegovernment’s priorities in this area. The CPOcycle framed poverty reduction within a broaderapproach to community development that

addressed integral links between povertyreduction and interventions in other thematicareas. The latter included enhancing environ-mentally sustainable local communities anddeveloping policy aligned with and supportingpoverty reduction.

During the CCF, integrating ICT tools hadassumed a prominent place in both governmentaland UNDP poverty alleviation programmes.UNDP Jordan worked on integration of ICTinto education and on bridging the digital divideof ICT access and literacy, which would servenational e-government services once developed.Progress toward the MDGs and supporting the government in implementing its nationalstrategies on ICT and other areas were central toUNDP interventions.80

Box 2 compares key intended outcomes ofUNDP interventions in the area of povertyreduction in each of the CCF and CPO cycles in Jordan.

4.4.1 IMPROVING MDG COUNTRY REPORTINGAND POVERTY MONITORING

The UNDP programme in Jordan is closelyaligned with the MDGs, with particular emphasison poverty reduction and environmental sustain-ability. UNDP has supported the government inboth monitoring and achieving progress towardMDGs. The government’s strategy in this areamay be summarized in the following components:

� Target group participation through a jointUN outreach project on “Taking MDGs tothe People” (May 2004). This was launched

78 A UNDP Chief Technical Advisor joined the staff of the National Committee for De-mining and Rehabilitation(NCDR) in May 2004. Priorities of UNDP support to this committee included developing strategies for mine action toallow Jordan to meet its commitments under the Ottawa Convention. Freeing more land from mines is expected to havea positive outcome on job creation in the agriculture and tourism sectors, particularly in the Jordan Valley, thus contributingto poverty alleviation. The rehabilitation work of NCDR also makes a direct impact on the lives of people impoverishedby mine-related physical disabilities. UNDP Support for de-mining is currently listed as a separate project from those inthe three thematic areas and is not considered further in this report.

79 Country Cooperation Framework and Related Matters: First Country Cooperation Framework for Jordan (1998-2002)(UNDP, 30 June 1997), DP/CCF/JOR/1, 8.

80 Four of the projects specifically analyzed in this report included: Enhancing Poverty and Social Statistics in theDepartment of Statistics, Jordan Information Technology Community Centres (Knowledge Centres), EnhancingTechnical Training and Employment Opportunities for Jordanian Women, and Support to Business Training for Microand Small Enterprises (Phases I & II). The selection was based on the relevance, the relative size of investment in theprogramme or project, the coverage and the duration/phases of implementation.



through the RC’s office, involving media anda team of development volunteers to explainthe relevance of MDGs and obtain informationon the public’s perceived issues and concerns;

� MDG indicators posted on the Web site ofDepartment of Statistics for continuousupdating and to stimulate online discussion;

� Decentralization aiming to empowercommunities and enhance their capabilitiesas part of realizing MDG objectives;81 and

� Involving a number of donors, NGOs andCSOs in the implementation and replicationof successful experiences, such as the UNDPMDG project in Aqaba.

During the 1998–2002 CCF cycle, improvingMDG country reporting and poverty monitoringconcentrated on UNDP support to strengthen-ing social and poverty data in the Department ofStatistics. Project outputs, such as improving thesystems and data used in monitoring social andpoverty indicators, and enhancing the skills ofthe Department of Statistics staff in collectionand dissemination of social indicators, werelinked to the intended outcome of alleviatingpoverty and improving social development in

Jordan. UNDP also provided policy support tothe government in refining its Social ProductivityProgramme to address the integral links betweenpoverty, economic opportunities, social choices,political voice and the exercise of human rights.The effectiveness of UNDP interventions isdemonstrated in successful capacity-building atthe Department of Statistics. It is also evident inthe establishment of a statistical database tomonitor and track poverty indicators that can beutilized by the government and non-governmentalactors in formulating policies and programmes indevelopment. National ownership and sustain-ability of this project appears assured, not least byits contributions to assessing progress toward theMDGs—a key priority of the government, andone that is addressed in other UNDP projects as well.

A key objective is to ensure that this data isconstantly updated. As such, UNDP Jordansupported the development of a specific MDGdatabase, prepared by the Royal ScientificSociety. This database is now available andaccessible to the public through the Web site ofthe Department of Statistics at www.dos.gov.jo.This poverty and social statistics project achievedsignificant results by enhancing the quality of

1998–2002 CCF

� Support for the government’s Social Productivity Programme

� Establish social statistical unit to monitor and measure poverty hardship levels

� Elaborate an anti-poverty strategy as follow up to the Copenhagen Social Summit

� Prepare Annual NHDR for Jordan to highlight implications of the development concept

� Launch public awareness campaign to integrate the poor into the social fabric of the country

� Integrate ICT in government and non-government institutions (added in 2000)

2003–2007 CPO

� Provide policy support for National Social and Economic Development Plan

� Support progress toward achieving MDGs at community levels

� Expand number of government and non-government institutions utilizing ICT

Box 2. Key Poverty Reduction Initiatives

81 See ‘A Reform Initiative in Jordan: Trying to Keep Pace with Iraqi and Palestinian Elections’ (The Washington Institutefor Near East Policy, February 2005), http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2249.



statistics in the Household Expenditure andIncome Survey of 2002–2003. It was this datathat provided the basis for the National PovertyAssessment of 2004, conducted by theGovernment of Jordan and the World Bank. Oneimportant outcome has been the national focuson the poorest governorates and those wherepoverty has increased.

The first NHDR, focusing on the critical youthsector of Jordan, was published during the CCFcycle. It was effective in stimulating a nationaldialogue among various stakeholders, and waspartly responsible for the development of theNational Youth Strategy.

UNDP interventions in the area of policysupport were reportedly less successful at thetime. UNDP and the government had seriousdisagreements on the handling of the SocialProductivity Programme by UNDP82 and theapplication of UNDP standards in contracting ofpersonnel. The poverty study under the SocialProductivity Programme was a joint effort ofUNDP and the Ministry of Social Development,supported by the World Bank. The fact thatlarger players, such as the World Bank andUSAID, redirected their funding to supportingthe formulation of a new poverty strategy forJordan was key in re-shifting UNDP priorities toareas where it can have an added advantage.These included strengthening of the Departmentof Statistics and engaging civil society in MDGprocesses and ICT at the community level, whichwere positive developments.

Improved MDG country reporting was a significantand explicit component of the CPO cycle. By2004, major outcomes demonstrated UNDPeffectiveness as a catalyst and facilitator indevelopment in this area. The Project toStrengthen Social and Poverty Statistics in theDepartment of Statistics was completed in June2006. A key outcome of this project was to reviewand modify Department of Statistics’ surveys andsocial indicators in order to capture the needs

generated by international conferences. The mainfinancer was the Government of Norway. It waslater agreed to extend the project to the end of2005 in order to strengthen gender-based datacollection and analysis.

Another important outcome of the UNDPprogramme in this area was the publication of the National Human Development Report 2004,focusing on the theme of sustainable livelihoods.This report also demonstrated effective partner-ships with local CSOs, as it was researched andwritten by the Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institutefor Development and co-financed by the UKDepartment for International Development. Theresults will be sustained and taken to the nextphase. It was agreed with the government that athird NHDR would address microfinance andfocus on the supply and demand for microfinanceservices in Jordan.

Another significant outcome during this periodwas the publication of the first Jordan MillenniumDevelopment Goals Report in October 2004. Thisreport was researched and written by MOPICand UNDP in consultation with UNCT, govern-ment institutions and CSOs, demonstrating theeffective role of UNDP in creating synergies andpartnerships among key actors. The reportincluded a costs analysis for achieving the MDGsin Jordan and recommendations for action. TheNHDR and MDG reports provide importanttools for raising awareness, advocacy and policyadvice; they can be utilized by UNDP in linkingup- and downstream activities and in supportingJordan in its progress toward the MDGs.

Established at MOPIC, the Early WarningSystem Project has already carried out twostudies, one on the economic situation in Jordanand the other on the social situation. The outputsof this project relate to tracking social andeconomic changes so as to enable policy decisionmakers to intervene at an early stage if policies orevents are having a negative effect on vulnerablegroups in society. In order to ensure its effectiveness

82 Jordan Country Review (UNDP Evaluation Office, 29 July, 2002), 28.



and sustainability, the project was extended into2005 with a contribution from MOPIC.

4.4.2 CONTRIBUTING TO PRIVATE-SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

The government is acutely aware that successfulintegration into the global economy and meetingthe economic needs of its people require partnerships with the private sector. IMF-sponsored restructuring measures and otherpublic administration reforms undertaken inpreparation for Jordan to join the WTO left thegovernment unable to provide widespreademployment opportunities in the public sector.The government could not continue to provideall of the safety nets people were used to.Removal of food and fuel subsidies createdspecial hardships for the poor. To the extent thatemployment and low income were linked topoverty, strengthening the capacity of the privatesector and strengthening its partnership andcoordination with government were seen as: vitalto attracting foreign investment; expanding jobsin the private sector; enhancing skills andtraining of potential employees (in line withmodern job skill requirements); and providingtraditionally marginalized or excluded groups(including women, the poor and people in remoterural communities) with opportunities to liftthemselves from poverty and improve their lives.

Initiatives in this area were to contribute to“softening the impact of the structural adjustmentprogramme.”83 Despite the stated attention toprivate-sector development during the twoprogramme cycles, results have been relativelymodest in terms of the number of small and mediumbusinesses that received support. Immediateproject outcomes are clear, such as the Empretecentrepreneur training programme with UNCTAD,started during the CCF in 2002 and extendedunder the CPO to strengthen entrepreneurial skillsamong small and medium businesses. Empretecenjoyed strong female participation, whichaccounted for 46 percent in the four trainingworkshops held in 2004. Still, the project has yet

to contribute significantly to the overall outcomeof strengthened private-sector development inJordan. A third phase is underway; implementationpartners include MOPIC, the Jordan LoanGuarantee Corporation and UNCTAD.

UNDP support to Business Training for Microand Small Enterprises was launched during theCCF cycle and completed in 2004 during theCPO cycle. In the first phase, with funds fromUSAID and training materials developed by theInternational Labour Organization, the projectaimed to strengthen capacity-building systemsfor SMEs in Jordan. Related to this strategy wereother projects to strengthen private-sectordevelopment including materials such as Startand Improve Your Business and Expand Your Business,first launched during the CCF cycle. The projectused materials developed by the InternationalLabour Organization and resulted in the produc-tion of business training packages, a trainers’guide, an operations manual and a marketingstrategy for the programme. DemonstratingUNDP effectiveness in promoting synergies and partnerships, this project was implementedby the Jordan American Business Associationwith support from USAID and MOPIC,and additional technical expertise from theInternational Labour Organization.

However, while the potential contribution ofSMEs to economic development is generallyrecognized in the country, its potential forcreating innovative employment opportunitiesremains a challenge. UNDP can position itself asan effective catalyst in this regard by sharing itsinstitutional expertise in creating businessincubators and demonstrating their value andeffectives in this setting. Other constraints,however, concern the incomplete process of publicadministration reform, specifically attention topolicies and legislation that would enable moreeffective public-private partnerships. In additionto the small size of the market, issues of limited accessto capital, dominance of family-run businessesand persisting shortcomings in the education and

82 Ibid, 29.



training of the emerging labour force continue toput obstacles in the way of expanding SMEs andother employment creation ventures. Thisrequires specific attention to reforms of Jordan’seducation, especially higher education.

UNDP has responded to the issue of themismatch between higher education system andthe labour market through the second phase ofAssessment of Gaps between Knowledge/SkillsAcquired through Higher Education and LabourMarket Demands in Jordan. This project aims toset up a higher education relevance unit andgraduates tracing system at the Ministry ofHigher Education, which will lay the ground forcurricula reform and improved compatibilitybetween education and the requirements of arapidly evolving labour market. The role ofUNDP as an effective facilitator of developmentis demonstrated in support to the JordanInvestment Board’s strategy development andinstitution building, completed in 2004, andsupport to a comprehensive national ForeignDirect Investment Survey later in 2004. Supportto Capacity-building in Investment Promotionand Investor Targeting for the Minerals andMining Sector were also completed in 2004.These activities were carried out together withthe Jordan Investment Board and the NaturalResources Authority in cooperation withUNCTAD. They contributed to developingsynergies not only between the public and privatesectors, but also between poverty reduction andenvironmental management and protection.

In 2007, UNDP Jordan is expected to launch theUN Global Compact, which aims to increase therole of the private sector and CSOs in collectivelyaddressing issues related to corporate socialresponsibility. A joint agreement between UNDPand the United Nations Industrial DevelopmentOrganization is intended to help develop aprogramme in support of private-sector develop-ment, with particular focus on SMEs in the agro-industry sector of the country. Furthermore,UNDP is developing a programme to supportthe adoption and implementation of a new tradestrategy with the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

4.4.3 MAINSTREAMING GENDER

Given the integral linkages between poverty andgender (demonstrated in the corporate UNDPapproach to gender as a cross-cutting issue inpoverty reduction), both the CCF and the CPOincorporated integration of women in programmeinterventions. To the extent that women wererecognized as facing discrimination or disadvan-taged in employment and economic opportunitiesin Jordan, these programmes contributed tobuilding the capacity of women who weredirectly targeted in the projects. For example, theintended outcome of the Enhancing TechnicalTraining and Employment Opportunities forJordanian Women project, which began underthe first CCF and concluded in 2004, was to haveenhanced the employability of women. In 2004,the project developed new curricula for ICT intwo community colleges, and a proposal toexpand the scale and replicate the pilot projectwas being explored with relevant authorities forpossible support. The project demonstratedUNDP in its effective role as catalyst in up-scaling promising interventions, especially as itwas aimed at providing better opportunities forwomen by developing their ICT skills to enablethem to compete in the labour market. Theproject targeted community colleges, due to highunemployment rates among female communitycollege graduates. The project was funded by theJapanese Women in Development Fund andimplemented by the Al Balqa Applied University.

Gender mainstreaming in this and otherprogrammes continues to be largely defined interms of opportunities for women (such asattention to gender-balanced job postings), andbenefiting mainly women targeted in these projects.Less well understood or applied was genderanalysis and mainstreaming to account for: bothmen and women’s roles within and across thepractice areas and explicitly operationalized inprogramme interventions so as to link up- anddownstream efforts in empowering women;ending discrimination against women; andachieving gender equity, respect, and enjoymentof human rights for men and women.



Capacity-building and promotion of entrepre-neurial skills is a key output in several UNDPprogrammes, not least those targeting women.Results and outcomes, however, are more difficultto assess since many factors besides capacity-building and training constrain women inJordanian society. For example, first during theCCF, and extended under the CPO, the JordanInformation Technology Community Centres(Knowledge Stations) was an important projectto integrate ICT in development, in line withemerging government priorities, and was aimed atreducing computer literacy and building capacitiesof local communities through utilization of ICTtools in different areas. One significant projectoutcome contributes to gender equality and women’sempowerment by increasing women’s interestand enrolment in ICT courses, thereby givingthem better prospects for employment. Theproject trained 21,280 people during in 2004,53 percent of which were females. The projectwas implemented by the National InformationTechnology Centre and was supported by theKing Abdullah II Fund for Development.

An important component of UNDP support tothe Department of Statistics was the establishmentof a Gender Unit, which produces gender-disaggregated statistics, and whose expected outcomeis improvement in planning and implementationof gender-sensitive development interventions.Data disaggregation (in terms of gender, age andlocation) should ensure that needs of differentgroups are identified and addressed.

Another project aiming to mainstream gender inpoverty alleviation efforts was the GlobalEnvironment Facility Small Grants Programme.The Small Grants Programme aims to addressglobal environment problems at the local levelwith the involvement of local communities andgeneration of direct community benefits andownership. This project has promoted women-based local community organizations, and aimedto ensure gender analysis was applied to allprojects. To this end, it established a steeringcommittee with strong representation of genderequality advocacy groups. The Small Grants

Programme signed 10 projects with community-based organizations in 2004, six of which weresigned with local women organizations.

A project that combines attention to gendermainstreaming with cross-cutting synergies andlinkages across practice areas is the Conservationand Sustainable Use of Dry Land Agro-biodiversityin Jordan project, which encouraged women toparticipate in training on sustainable agriculturalpractices, and to implement the training materialsin practice.One significant achievement demonstrat-ing sustainability was that some of the womengraduates from the training programme weredesignated as trainers and trained other womenin the same sustainable agricultural practices.Though direct beneficiaries of such projects mayremain limited to the targeted population, theproject may have a lasting impact in cementingthe integral links between poverty reduction;employment opportunities; and environmentalprotection and conservation, and by demonstratingan innovative approach by UNDP in Jordan tolinking these issues.

4.4.4 ENCOURAGING CIVIL SOCIETYPARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT

CSOs in Jordan, particularly NGOs, areemerging as significant players and partners inthe development process. They are well placed asintermediaries between the community and thegovernment, as they may enjoy authentic tieswith people on the ground and meet demands forservices, training opportunities and other supportwhere the government is unable to meet thesedemands. In an increasingly globalized world,these organizations also play a critical rolevoicing the rights of the people and empoweringthe citizenry to participate directly in the publicarena. As noted earlier, there are at least twotypes of CSOs in Jordan, sometimes referred to as ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’. Because of theirmandates under the law and their position inJordanian society, the official CSOs have typicallyenjoyed more opportunities, more resources andmore access to the government. However, as thecountry proceeds with decentralization andbuilding the capacity of communities at the local



level to take responsibility and control over keydevelopment processes, CSOs of every type mayproliferate and play an increasingly critical role inall aspects of human development in Jordan.

CSOs have done critical work in strategic sectors,such as with youth, on economic initiatives, inthe environment, and elsewhere. For example,UNDP has assisted the Higher Council of Youthto develop the youth sector in Jordan, with theexpected outcome of contributing to the NationalYouth Strategy. Over 90,000 young people andtheir families were consulted in this project,demonstrating the importance of inviting thevoices and participation of the people concerned.UNDP worked closely with UNICEF to providetechnical assistance to the consultations andstrategy development. The Government ofJordan is the main source of funding and iscommitted to sustaining this important project,which is designed to continue through thecurrent CPO until 2008.

Similarly, UNDP supports local CSOs andNGOs in the GEF Small Grants Programmewhose intended outcome is to improve the local environment by raising public awareness,building partnerships and promoting dialogue.The project seeks to help create a supportiveenvironment for achieving sustainable develop-ment and addressing global environmental issues.In 2004, 10 agreements were signed between theSmall Grants Programme and local CSOs andNGOs. The Small Grants Programme hascompleted 101 projects since it was established inJordan in 1992.

UNDP effectiveness as a catalyst in developmentis evidenced in the Jordan IT Community Centreproject, a project that was extended into a secondphase under the CPO, Achieving SustainableHuman Development through the use of ICTTools in the Knowledge Stations. The expectedoutcome is to contribute to community develop-ment initiatives through building the capacity oflocal organizations (municipalities, NGOs,CSOs) that host the centres, and integratinglocal needs assessments into the process.

Strengthening the capacity and participation ofCSOs in poverty alleviation is also evidenced inthe participation of over 30 CSOs and mediaorganizations in two one-day workshops organizedby UNDP in order to discuss recommendationsfor the Jordan Millennium Development GoalsReport. A key outcome illustrating the lastingimpact of this intervention was the incorporationof the recommendations of these organizationsinto the report–a significant step in strengthen-ing national ownership over the developmentprocess by all major sectors of Jordanian society.

Similarly, UNDP utilized an effective facilitatorrole in providing technical assistance to thegovernment for community level consultations inthe development of the National PoliticalStrategy and its Programme of Action Plan—withimplications for more transparent and participa-tory discussions of development processes andgoals in the country.

4.4.5 MAKING ICT WORK FOR THE POOR

In the late 1990s, integrating ICTs into govern-ment and non-government institutions emergedas a central priority for the Government ofJordan and integral to processes of developmentin all sectors. Training and capacity in ICT were critical to the functioning of governmentinstitutions in the process of their reform and inpreparing the economy and society for joiningthe WTO and integrating into the globaleconomic environment. Since then, buildingcapacity and expanding use of ICT has becomeeven more critical in light of Jordan’s aim ofdeveloping into a knowledge economy thatenjoys political stability and sustainable develop-ment in that troubled region. UNDP respondedimmediately in 2000 during the first CCF byadding specific programme interventions in thissector into its country programme.

Questions arise concerning the wider impact ofUNDP programmes, especially as UNDPpoverty alleviation efforts have been scatteredand fragmented in a large number of small-scaleprojects. The most common beneficiaries are bydefinition those targeted in a given project, and it



is not clear how pilot projects, small initiatives, orother UNDP interventions are integrated into astrategy of making ICT development work forthe poor. Some projects may hold more promisethan others. For example, the National TrainingStrategy for IT Project, which was slated forcompletion in 2004, was formulated and adoptedby the government, thereby demonstrating itseffective outcomes and ensuring sustainability.The strategy document was translated into Arabicand was to be distributed among various stake-holders. In an example of regional cooperation,another component of the project, teachertraining for the International Computer DrivingLicense (ICDL), was executed by the UNESCORegional Office in Cairo and resulted in 30,000teachers being awarded the certificate.84

The Knowledge Centres are another example ofsuccessful outcomes in this area. Twenty-fiveKnowledge Stations were established in 2004alone, bringing the total to 100 KnowledgeStations in Jordan as well as one specialized ITCentre for the Physically Challenged. A newphase was under discussion at the end of 2004, toexamine the role of Knowledge Stations incommunity development, and to expand accessby continuing to increase the number of centres.These results are promising in beginning toprovide opportunities for training and utilizingICT into ever-expanding reaches in the country,thus making it more likely that populations mostat risk may have access to the benefits provided inthese stations. The expected outcome of thesecentres’ contributions to community developmentwould provide important evidence of successfulUNDP interventions as catalyst and facilitator in development.

Likewise, the project on Improving the LifeConditions of People with Physical Disabilities

through the use for ICT Tools and Applications,which was due to be completed in 2004, hasalready yielded an important outcome with theofficial opening of a fully equipped trainingcentre at the Al Hussein Society facility in April2004. The training centre is a model for otherNGOs working with people with physicaldisabilities and a makes significant contributionto inviting participation of the disabled in theirown development. By 2005, seven centres werespecially equipped to enhance the accessibility of disabled persons to ICT. As further evidenceof the impact of UNDP initiatives in this area,the project led to the production of the firstnational newsletter (ERADA) to address disability in Jordan.85 The project was financedby the Government of Italy and implemented by the Italian NGO AVSI. A second phase isbeing considered.86

4.4.6 ANTICIPATED PROGRESS IN POVERTY REDUCTION

OutcomesSpecific projects have yielded immediate expectedresults, particularly those that include capacity-building and training as part of UNDP interven-tions. For example, the ICT integration projectssuch as the Knowledge Centres are reachingmore people in different parts of the country and improving employment opportunities forbeneficiaries. These positive outcomes haveattracted the support of other donors and funders(also ensuring sustainability). For example, theICT project receives donations and grants from anumber of partners in addition to UNDP and theKing Abdullah II Fund for development. Suchinterventions have also explicitly integratedattention to opportunities for women and for thedisabled, filling a much needed gap in this area.Micro-credit and small business projects also

84 See definition of ICDL at: http://www.ittqc.com/it_examination/icdl.html 85 Three issues of ERADA were produced and distributed during the life of the project.86 Other UNDP projects linked to overall poverty alleviation in Jordan includes support to a UNODC project on

Strengthening the Treatment and Rehabilitation Services for Drug Abusers in Jordan, and is credited for increasingaccess to treatment and rehabilitation centres and for improving the quality of services provided. UNDP-Jordan also supported a regional UNODC project on Preventions of Drug Abuse and related HIV/AIDS in the Middle East.Research activities were underway to develop a comprehensive framework for monitoring, analyzing and reporting of thedrug situation in the countries involved including Jordan.



instil important skills and knowledge for peopleto create their own employment and businessopportunities. Other demonstrably successfuloutcomes include: UNDP contribution to thedevelopment of the social and poverty statisticaldatabase at the Department of Statistics; theestablishment of the Gender Unit at theDepartment; publication of the National HumanDevelopment Reports; and the participation ofstakeholders among CSOs in the recommendations,which prompt a continuing national dialoguearound these issues (e.g., a youth strategy toengage youth and combat poverty).

Effectiveness and SustainabilityThe effectiveness of UNDP interventions in thepoverty reduction area has been questioned andcriticized as limited and weak. Projects duringthe first CCF cycle were criticized for being toomany, too small and too scattered to producedemonstrable effects. Small projects (for examplein SMEs or micro-credit) could benefit peopledirectly targeted, but given the complexity andscope of the poverty problem in Jordan, theseinterventions appeared ineffective. Absent in theseprojects were more careful and coherent linkageswith a wider strategy of poverty reduction, suchas encouraging the creation of more effectivepartnerships between the government and theprivate sector, SMEs and similar initiativeswithin a context in which such interventionscould succeed and be expanded.

Many issues arise at this level, including: insuffi-cient progress in the decentralization process;insufficient capacity of local businesses to attractinvestment and create jobs; lack of adequateeducation and skills of the labour force (includinginadequate vocational training opportunities);social barriers to women or the poor in obtainingcredit or starting business; and vulnerability ofsmall businesses to any external shock or setback.So far, the main measure of success of the SMEstraining programme is demonstrated in thesupport that the Jordan American BusinessAssociation has received for the introduction ofthe Start and Improve Your Business programme

in the Middle East market (e.g., in Saudi Arabia,Kuwait and Iraq), and which highlights thegrowing demand for the programme in theregion and the potential for Jordan to reap thebenefits of regional cooperation.

Like vocational training and ICT, the commercialviability of business training (as in the case of theJordan American Business Association) remainsan issue, as it currently must offer subsidizedtraining mainly for SMEs. Operating on a non-profit basis is also an issue that needs to beaddressed in collaboration with the government.The discussion should focus on the institutionalmeasures necessary for ensuring access to thepoorest communities. Offering subsidies toensure access by the poor would be anothersubject of public choice and expenditure.

Promising initiatives in the poverty reduction areainclude those that are more strategically linkedwithin the national plan to alleviate poverty, andprogrammes that approach poverty reduction withinoverall community development and whichinclude environmental management and protectionas integral to these interventions. For example,projects financed under GEF demonstrated alink between poverty reduction and environmentprotection. However, these initiatives were foundto suffer from two main limitations: (1) invest-ments were too small to result in significantreduction of poverty levels; and, (2) employmentgains are sometimes marred by socio-culturalattitudes towards manual labour, with the resultthat instead of the community benefiting, foreignlabourers flocked to these jobs instead.

Given the limited resources at the disposal ofUNDP and the scope of the problems at hand,UNDP effectiveness in this area has been tomobilize other external resources to address the issue,and demonstrating pilot projects that can be up-scaled and sustained with governmental commit-ment (e.g., projects with youth, MDG monitoring).

Leadership for the programme is provided byUNDP CO in close collaboration with theMOPIC—the lead agency for coordinating



national policy and development priorities andfinancing. UNDP operates closely with specializedline ministries and departments such as theDepartment of Statistics. Partnerships wereestablished between UNDP and the NationalInformation Technology Centre, which is thenational Internet Service Provider in Jordan.

National ownership is, therefore, an importantcontribution to long-term sustainability.Programmes and projects under NEX areimplemented by relevant departments, such asthe Department of Statistics. To further enhancesustainability, UNDP-supported projects providedtraining, for example, of Department staff onstatistical analysis and use of SPSS87 software,and on developing research papers. The enhancedmodules, indicators and definitions remain theproperty of the Department and are available for usein the next surveys, which is an additional supportto institutional development and sustainability.

Ensuring sustainability of ICT centres is aproblem worldwide, not least in Jordan that hasput ICT at the centre of its development strategy.Options for continuity include incorporating exitstrategies into the design of the project andtransforming the project into an NGO, whichoperates on its own and coordinates the work ofall the ICT Knowledge Centres in Jordan.Another option is to transfer the ICT initiative tothe Ministry of Information and CommunicationTechnology, where it would then considered aspart of the Ministry’s regular budget. A thirdoption is to encourage the private sector toprovide these services. Involving the privatesector more closely is likely to emerge as a majormeans of future service provision as the economyaims to achieve sustained levels of growth.

ImpactGiven Jordan’s vulnerability to internal andexternal shocks, long term impact of UNDPinterventions in poverty alleviation is difficult toassess. To the extent that unemployment and lowincome are associated with higher poverty rates,

any contraction in the economy (such as with thefirst Gulf War) is likely to have repercussionsaround the country. Similarly, drought, watershortages or other environmental events canquickly overwhelm communities barely at theedge of existence.

Factors determining the long-term impact ofUNDP interventions in poverty reduction—and inother thematic areas as well—include the adequacyof monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, a topicthat is discussed later. Other factors determiningimpact in this area deserve mention. Oneconcerns the role of CSOs in Jordan that couldstill be enhanced to play a more participatory rolein national development—whether it is directlyrelated to impact or monitoring impact ofdevelopment initiatives.

Other factors pertaining to impact includediscrepancies—and in the past, disagreements—between UNDP and the Government of Jordanabout the incidence and main causes of poverty inthe country. UNDP reportedly assessed povertyas higher than as reported by the government,and UNDP tended to locate a main cause in lackof opportunities, while the government locatedpoverty within a host of other vulnerabilities.Assumptions about the cause of a problemnecessarily guide solutions and flawed assumptionsby one side or another will have implications forthe impact of interventions. The role of UNDPas catalyst and facilitator in development will alsobe constrained depending on the extent to which itsapproaches diverges from that of the government.

Overall, gender mainstreaming in povertyreduction in the Jordan country office falls farshort of corporate attention to the genderdimension in programming. This has bearing onanother issue that may determine long termimpact of poverty reduction strategies, namely thedirection the government is taking to integrateinto the global economy. While the government’slong-term vision is to prepare the people and thecountry to participate as a knowledge economy,

87 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.



and so enhance national and human develop-ment, recent economic decisions may exacerbatepoverty and other problems among distinctsectors of the population. A prime example is theQualified Industrial Zones that the governmentis encouraging as part of free trade and economicliberalization. As demonstrated in other parts of the world, free-trade zones often result in ahost of problems, including: environmentaldestruction; unchecked urbanization; lack ofgovernment regulation or control; loss of revenueto foreign investors (taken outside the country);and severe exploitation of workers, particularlyyoung women. In the case of Jordan, theseinclude nationals and migrants. While thesekinds of employment (and investment) opportu-nities may bring in foreign investment and raisewages for Jordanian employees in the short-term,these enterprises are ultimately geared towardsbenefiting capital investors and not necessarilythe local population.

Long-term impact of UNDP interventions maybe made more effective by focusing on coherentstrategies to poverty reduction as part and parcelof progress in other areas—mainly governanceand the environment—and articulated withinstrategies and plans outlined by the government.UNDP can use its institutional advantage andlong expertise to engage the government inpolicy dialogue, advice and political advocacywith stakeholders throughout the country.

4.5 ENVIRONMENT

Jordan is among the ten countries with the leastamount of water resources.88 Some areas of thecountry receive only eight inches of rainfallannually. Jordan has very limited perennial water resources, and supplies are disputed withneighbouring countries, particularly Israel.89 Thelack of sufficient water makes the country veryvulnerable to environmental shocks. This was thecase during the 2006 agricultural season, where

irrigation was permitted only for perennial treeswhile seasonal crops were denied irrigation.Diversifying the economy away from dependenceon agriculture and into industry—includingvalue-added agro-processing—requires largeamounts of water. The olive oil industry is a casein point. The issues at stake include: the directlink between availability of water, hygiene andpoverty; and the importance of water for agricul-tural production, diversification of productioninto industry, and the overall implications foreconomic growth and employment.

Environmental challenges in Jordan arecompounded by social factors such as highfertility rate and unchecked population growth,both through natural increase and the influx ofrefugees and other migrants. Environment-related interventions supported by UNDP reflectthe high priority accorded this sector during theperiod under review, with significant resultsvisible at the national level.

UNDP support for environmental conservationand management in Jordan has focused onsponsoring projects that strengthen capacity forthe sustainable management of natural resources,protection of the environment including bio-diversity conservation, promotion of sustainableenergy, and building sustainable livelihoods forthe poor, mainly through:

� Assisting the government to meet demandsof international environment conventions;

� Supporting effective water governance;

� Facilitating access to sustainable energy services;

� Combating desertification and land degrada-tion through sustainable land management;

� Supporting the conservation and sustainableuse of biodiversity; and

� Providing small grants funding for environmentprojects implemented by local community-based organizations.

88 http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/geo_env4.html89 Grunfeld, L. ICE Case Study: Jordan River Dispute (American University, The School of International Service, The

Inventory of Conflict and Environment, 1997), http://www.american.edu/ted/ice/JORDAN.HTM



UNDP played an important facilitator role inpolicy dialogue and advocacy, resulting in theestablishment of the MOEn in Jordan, and theadoption by the government of national strate-gies in energy conservation, combating desertifi-cation, and biodiversity. UNDP was critical tothe success of efforts to mobilize considerableexternal resources, most notably from the GEF toaddress environmental problems.

The principle objective during the 1998–2002CCF cycle was to support the governmentformulate policies, raise awareness andstrengthen institutions in the environmental andenergy issues that are critical to Jordan’seconomic development. The programmedemonstrates the dual role of UNDP as catalystand facilitator in development as its interventionsrevolve around policy formation; strategyformulation and advocacy; institutional capacity-building; and demonstration of environmentpreservation systems. More so than in otherthematic areas, the regional dimension wasincorporated and addressed in UNDPprogrammes from the start, e.g., conservingbiodiversity and solid waste management forexample. Other major areas pertaining to theenvironment, such as addressing the acute watershortage, were largely left to major donorsincluding USAID, GTZ and the JapanInternational Cooperation Agency. Attesting tothe importance accorded by both the governmentand UNDP to the environment’s role in sustain-able development, some 15 projects constituting46 percent of UNDP core and non-coreresources were allocated to the environmentprogramme during this cycle.

The 2003–2007 CPO cycle intentionallystructured UNDP interventions to highlight itsrole as catalyst and facilitator within a morecoherent approach to community developmentand overall public administrative reform. A keyfocus was on providing support to planning at thelocal community level and raising awarenessthrough community development efforts. Pilot

projects with demonstrable results that could beadopted by major donors and up-scaled were alsoincluded in this cycle. However, UNDP accededto other major donors the main role in environ-ment protection and conservation. Resourceallocation for the 21 environment projects in thiscycle increased from about 46 percent in 2004 toaround 42 percent by 2006.90

At the upstream level, UNDP has supported theformulation and development of strategies andaction plans such as a water managementinformation system, biodiversity programmes,combating desertification, the 2001 Agenda 21,and a capacity development project for environ-mental protection during 1997–1998 with theEnvironment Protection Department, within theMinistry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and theEnvironment. In addition, UNDP supportedcapacity development for environmentalmanagement and climate change mitigation(specifically supporting national priorities inenergy efficiency and development, and forestconservation and management).

At the downstream level, UNDP focus has beenon supporting conservation and protection,agrodiversity, biodiversity, and energy. Indeed,the biogas plant, managed by the Jordan BiogasCompany, is the first of its kind in the MiddleEast. Downstream interventions in the watersector are limited to specific interventions, suchas support to replenishing aquifers feeding theAzraq Oasis, and to water governance through afocus on waste management in the olive oilindustry. UNDP has opted to leave large-scaletechnical interventions in this sector to the majordonor agencies. A number of downstreamconservation projects have been replicated (e.g.the ecotourism initiative in the Dibeen NatureReserve) or expanded to a further phase (e.g.reduction of methane emissions).

Box 3 lists key intended UNDP interventions inthe area of the environment in each of the CCFand CPO cycles in Jordan.

90 Figures calculated from information provided by UNDP Jordan.



4.5.1 ASSISTING THE GOVERNMENT INMEETING DEMANDS OF INTERNATIONALENVIRONMENT CONVENTIONS

The government is acutely aware of national andregional implications of environment strategies, andplaces high priority on meeting its internationalobligations in this regard. Not only would theseprotect Jordan and its rights to natural resources,but also they would provide benefits to its ownpopulation by strengthening an environmentcapable of supporting sustained development.

During the CCF cycle, UNDP supported theBuilding Capacity for Green House GasesEmissions Inventory and Action Plan, withspecific enabling activities extended during theCPO cycle in 2004. This, along with theNational Capacity Self Assessment Project inJordan for Global Environmental Management(2004) supported the capacity for dialogueamong key state and non-state stakeholders. Theexpected outcome was to contribute to meetingJordan’s global commitments under the UNConvention to Combat Desertification, UNConvention on Biodiversity, and the UNFramework Convention on Climate Change.The projects were funded by GEF.

4.5.2 SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE WATER GOVERNANCE

Given the scope of the water shortage problem inJordan, major projects in water conservation andmanagement were left to other donors. However,UNDP focused its support on several projects to

achieve effective water governance. UNDPserved as an important catalyst in mobilizingfunds for projects with regional implications.

Two projects funded by the Perez Guerroro TrustFund—Develop Water Resources in the BadiaRegion as an Example of Arid Regions, andDevelop Watershed Management in the NorthernBadia Region (Sirhan Basin/Jordan) as an Examplefor Desert Regions—are in line with the morestrategically focused approach of UNDP tocommunity development. These projects areconcentrated in disadvantaged rural communitiesin the Badia Region and are implemented withlocal NGOs. These are an important demonstra-tion of up- and downstream synergies and linkages.Outcomes have included greater communityawareness and participation in environmentalissues that directly affect their lives.

UNDP played a critical role in establishing aneffective water database at the Ministry of Waterand irrigation, which facilitated the developmentof an interactive water master plan. Also, the Azraqproject was a pioneering effort on the part ofUNDP for creating watershed management schemesand reducing pressure on the Azraq water resourcesthat was facilitated by an agreement with theMinistry of Water and Irrigation and the RoyalSociety for the Conservation of Nature.

The sub-regional project on Integrated WasteManagement for Olive Oil Pressing Industries inLebanon, Syria and Jordan during the 2004 CPO

1998–2002 CCF

� Support to National Environmental Action Plan

� Consolidate central water database

� Institutional strengthening of governmental agencies and NGOs

� Support for Agenda 21

2003–2007 CPO

� Support for development of a National Energy Renewal Strategy as a key component of the Biogas Project

� Support to development of water management information system

Box 3. Key Environment Initiatives



cycle addresses both the larger implications ofJordan’s integration into the global environmentand the immediate environmental and economicimpact on communities, where waste products of theolive oil presses, left untreated, pollute and degradewater quality and remaining agricultural lands.The purpose of the project is to introduce elementsof an integrated waste management system to theolive oil industry in the participating countries.The project is funded by the European Union.

4.5.3 FACILITATING ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLEENERGY SERVICES

UNDP has provided support to the ReduceMethane Emissions and Utilise Municipal Wastefor Energy project in Amman, whose intendedoutcome was to: develop a pilot plant for theutilization of methane gas from Russeifa landfillin energy generation; support the development ofa national renewable energy strategy by theNational Energy Research Centre; promoteenvironmental awareness through various inputs,including an awareness-raising campaign; andbuild the capacity of local research and academiaon biogas technology. The awareness componentwas conducted by the National Energy ResearchCenter, which sub-contracted a local NGO, theJordanian Environment Society. This project wasimplemented by the Jordan Biogas Company, andthe capacity-building and awareness componentwas subcontracted to the National Energy ResearchCenter. The curriculum development componentwas implemented by the Jordan University forScience and Technology.

The success of the project in contributing to anational renewal energy strategy underscores theeffective role of UNDP as a catalyst in policydialogue and advice, and in increasingly carving outa niche in advocacy and awareness-raising aroundissues of concern within the three thematic areas.

4.5.4 COMBATING DESERTIFICATION ANDLAND DEGRADATION THROUGHSUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT

Jordan’s commitment to combating desertificationand achieving sustainable land management is acritical national priority. The National Strategyand Action Plan for Combating Desertification

was completed, but needed revision to take intoaccount recent changes in policy. UNDP inJordan supported the Ministry of Environmentin developing the strategy through comprehensiveconsultations with the private sector, the publicsector, academia and civil society organizations.UNDP effectiveness and expertise as a catalyst inpolicy dialogue is once again demonstrated, as isits effectiveness in creating synergies and linkagesbetween the efforts of key stakeholders. This is asignificant achievement in Jordan, not only becauseof the importance of environmental issues, but inpaving the way to more effective collaborationbetween the government and other sectors,including the private sector and NGOs. Theselinks and partnerships may enhance projectsustainability and encourage similar partnershipsin other areas (such as democratic governance)where they are still limited.

4.5.5 SUPPORTING THE CONSERVATION ANDSUSTAINABLE USE OF BIODIVERSITY

The government has come to realize that support-ing biodiversity is a good environmental strategythat also strengthens Jordan’s role as a competi-tive player in the global economy.

Successful projects have included the Conservationand Sustainable Use of Dryland Agro-biodiversityin Jordan, which began under the CCF in 1998and was due for completion in 2004. Theexpected outcome of this project was promotionof conservation and sustainable use of importantgenetic agricultural resources with community-driven in situ conservation techniques. Theconnection between up- and downstream activitiesin this instance proved so successful that in 2004,the project initiated an agro-biodiversity networkwhose aim was to promote biodiversity conservationand sustainable utilization. The expected outcomewas to enhance community livelihood and provideinformation to decision makers to adopt the rightpolicies to conserve and utilize biodiversity. Theeffectiveness of UNDP interventions in this regardresulted in the transferral of responsibilities forthis project to the National Centre for AgriculturalResearch and Technology Transfer. Though theproject was due to be completed in June 2005, itslong term sustainability can be assessed in the



adoption of related projects to expand and replicatebenefits and outcomes of this initiative. Anotherimportant output of these efforts is the signing ofmemoranda of understanding between Jordan,Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine on conservation andexchange of agro-biodiversity genetic resources.

Promoting eco-tourism is an explicit objective ofthe 2004–2011 Jordan National Tourism Strategy,and the conservation of the Dana Nature Reservewas the country’s first eco-tourism project.Strengthening the links between eco-tourism,community participation, contribution to povertyalleviation, and human rights is an importantdemonstration of synergies between thematic areas.

Coming on the heels of initial successes of theConservation and Sustainable Use of DrylandAgro-biodiversity in Jordan, and successfulcompletion of the Dana Nature Reserve Project,a new nature reserve project was launched underthe CPO in 2004, Conservation and SustainableUse of Biodiversity in Dibeen Nature Reserve.Consistent with a strategic UNDP approach topoverty reduction and environmental protectionwithin community development, this project invitedthe participation of the local communities involved.A baseline study of the flora and fauna of the areawas conducted, during which previously unrecordedspecies were found. The project’s intendedoutcomes are to strengthen forest management andnature reserve management by enhancing thecapacity of national and local NGOs. Synergiesand linkages were demonstrated in the closecooperation of local government, communities andNGOs in this project.The project is implementedby the Royal Society for the Conservation ofNature and is funded by GEF and UNDP.

Other UNDP-supported programmes connect afocus on biodiversity with a regional dimension.A Regional Project for the Conservation ofSoaring Migratory Birds in the eastern sector ofthe Africa-Eurasia flyway system (Rift Valley andRed Sea flyways) was started in October 2004.

Under UNDP CO management, the project isbeing implemented in eleven countries by BirdLifeInternational and its partner institutions,including—in Jordan—the Royal Society for theConservation of Nature. The project was launchedin 2004 with the first meeting of the ProjectSteering Committee in Ethiopia. BirdLifeInternational signed the contracts with its partnerinstitutions in the eleven countries concerned,and BirdLife partners in all these countriescompleted a problem analysis and sector identifi-cation exercise. Regional training was conductedin Nairobi and Amman, strengthened by technicalsupport visits to project partners in Ethiopia,Djibouti, Eritrea, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.Outputs in the current phase of the project are todevelop a project document for the full-scale projectto be submitted to the GEF council and tomobilize additional resources based on informa-tion collected and the partnerships established.91

4.5.6 SMALL GRANT FUNDING FORENVIRONMENTAL NGOS

The government and other stakeholders areclosely watching UNDP efforts to: demonstratethe success of small scale projects with largerimplications for up-scaling and sustainability;raise awareness and promote interventions by thegovernment and major donors in developingprogrammes that strategically link environmentalconservation with job creation opportunities so asto reduce poverty. The potential outcomes andimpact of such initiatives on sustainable humandevelopment are exemplified in the UNDP-supported GEF Small Grants Programme. Thisis a global programme that was first launched inJordan in 1992. Small Gants Programme isimplemented by the UNDP (executed throughUNOPS) on behalf of the three agencies: UNDP,the United Nations Environment Programme,and the World Bank.92 The intended outcome isto improve the local environment by raising publicawareness, building partnerships and promotingdialogue—all clearly part of the successful dual

91 Phase I of the project is expected to start in four countries by 2007.92 The Small Grants Programme specifically focuses on biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation

and persistent organic pollutants.



role UNDP fills as catalyst and facilitator ofdevelopment initiatives. At the community level,the initiative is expected to reap major environ-mental benefits in promoting biodiversity andpreventing or countering the impact of landdegradation, desertification and deforestation.

4.5.7 ANTICIPATED PROGRESS INENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION

OutcomesActive support of UNDP for a sustainableenvironment in Jordan during the period underreview has been largely facilitated through GEF.Medium and large grants have been augmentedby core Target for Resource Assignments fromCore, and by non-core funding (bilateral or multi-lateral donors, and government cost-sharing),and have enabled UNDP to support projectssuch as the Dana Nature Reserve, the AzraqWetlands, the Dibeen Reserve, and the methanereduction project. The GEF Small GrantsProgramme has been instrumental in mobilizingnon-governmental organizations in support ofcommunity involvement in environmentalprotection, in particular small-scale NGOs.

There have been significant outcomes of UNDPupstream level support to conservation, agrodi-versity and biodiversity, as well as to combatingdesertification and addressing the water crisisthroughout the CCF and CPO cycles to date.Until the mid-1990s, interventions in support ofsustainable environment had been hindered by amultitude of outdated laws and regulations.93

UNDP upstream support has been facilitated byJordan’s awareness of the need for sustainableenvironment-related strategies. The NationalEnvironment Strategy, for example, explicitly refersto the conservation of the Dana Nature Reserveand Azraq Wetlands as national priorities—attesting to the relevance and effectiveness ofUNDP interventions. UNDP upstream support tothe environment sector has also been facilitatedby Jordan’s ratification of major conventions

emanating from the 1992 Rio Summit94 and itscommitment to regional environmental solutions,another significant outcome.

Important outcomes also emanate from UNDPin its role as facilitator, demonstrating theeffectiveness of specific projects. The choice ofenvironment projects at the downstream level,mainly those undertaken at the community leveland those supporting the energy sector throughconversion of municipal organic waste andlandfill methane emissions into energy, haveyielded important and measurable benefits forthe communities concerned. Benefits andoutcomes not only serve as models for emulationand replication in other areas and sectors—locally as well as regionally—but also contributeto upstream activities, resulting in this instance ina national master plan for utilization of biogas.The Dana Nature Reserve project has encour-aged community involvement in conservationand demonstrates important synergies andlinkages with other thematic areas, such aspoverty alleviation through various eco-tourismrelated income-generating activities. The projecthas also contributed to capacity development andstrengthening of NGOs active on issues relatingto the environment.

There are also coherent linkages with interven-tions in other areas supported by UNDP, such ascomputerization of the property tax system,though this needs to be effectively linked tocommunity concerns regarding equitable land tenureand has implications for environmental conservation.UNDP support for capacity development to tacklecorruption, as well as for strengthening the justicesystem, are further examples of inter-programmecoherence which could yield measurable outcomes.Another example is UNDP support for access toICT through Knowledge Stations, with implica-tions for mobilizing a wider audience to supportenvironmental objectives. Strategic and explicit focuson these synergies in project design and implemen-tation may contribute to expected outcomes.

93 Jordan NGO Shadow Report. Non-governmental Report on the Way to Sustainability. Presented at the World Summitfor Sustainable Development, Friends of the Earth, July 2002 (www.foeme.org).

94 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.



There appears to be general synergy between UNagencies, donors, and UNDP environment-related interventions that contribute to achievingoutcomes and results For example, the WorldBank has been active in capacity development inthe energy sector, in particular the electricitysubsector and supporting a pilot renewableenergy wind farm project. There is synergybetween UNDP interventions in the watersector, and USAID support to a water qualityimprovement and conservation project, as well asGTZ support of the national water master plan.

The proactive approach of the DLCG, as well asthe active United Nations Country Team(UNCT), has contributed to generally mitigatingduplication of development interventions. This isalso evident at the downstream level, wheresimilar interventions are generally implementedin different locations. At the upstream level,donor and other United Nations agencies’environment-related interventions generallytarget different groups for training, or may belinked to sectors in which UNDP is not active.For example, GTZ support to waste managementin the health sector, and USAID support tomedical and hazardous waste programme.

Effectiveness and SustainabilityUNDP funding to the environment sector inJordan is small, yet it has still positioned itselfstrategically to play an effective role promotingdevelopment in this area. UNDP has been able toparlay its institutional strengths and comparativeadvantage as both catalyst and facilitator ofdevelopment, to leverage resources, connectstakeholders at the government, non-governmental,community and regional levels, and most signifi-cantly perhaps, create and demonstrate synergies andlinkages between better environmental manage-ment, conservation, and poverty reduction. Theexperience of preparing the MDG Report forAqaba aimed at strengthening local institutionalcapacities in order to achieve sustainable socialdevelopment has provided a model for NGO andcommunity mobilization, including in the area ofenvironmental sustainability (MDG7).

In all this, UNDP interventions have been highlyrelevant in terms of emerging national priorities,

especially to the Government of Jordan’s goal ofsustainable human development within the globaleconomy. The effectiveness of UNDP interven-tions in the field of the environment has also beenstrengthened by support of public informationcampaigns—an emerging focus in the UNDPcountry office. For example, the 2005 UNDP-supported Jordan GEF National DialogueInitiative Workshop was successful in raisingpublic awareness.

Direct effects of UNDP on sustainability aremore difficult to assess, given its limited financialcontributions to environment projects. However,the main funder, GEF, has been noted for itsstringent requirements in project formulation.GEF incorporates explicit exit strategies thatoutline responsibility for management or contin-uation of relevant projects into project designfrom the outset. GEF also includes systematicmonitoring and evaluation mechanisms in itsprojects; information that would be very valuablein evaluating lessons learned and preparing forlong-term sustainability.

Sustainability is more likely ensured wherecommunity stakeholders, whether NGOs or theprivate sector, enjoy a sense of ownership. Forexample, involvement of the Jordan BiogasCompany in the Methane Reduction andMunicipal Waste project contributed to projectsustainability and provided a model for successfulpublic-private sector partnership. Validating theenergy master plan document through stakeholderparticipation in workshops has also beenconducive to sustainability. However, given the scope of environmental challenges facing thecountry, long-term sustainability needs to befurther strengthened by more effective cooperationbetween the different government ministriesinvolved, including the Ministry of Energy, theMinistry of Environment and the NationalEnergy Research Centre.

Sustainability also requires linking intendedoutcomes more coherently with wider environ-mental and socio-economic issues. For example,in the case of the Azraq Wetlands, more effectivelinkages need to be made between national effortsin addressing water use, waste management and



concrete benefits to local communities in termsof their health, well-being and self-reliance. Inthe case of the Dana Nature Reserve, given thecurrent population dynamics, market-relevantskill training and employment opportunities forthe youth population beyond eco-tourism—in particular for young women—are crucial for long-term sustainability and long-termconservation and biodiversity.

ImpactThe main impact UNDP has on environmentprotection and conservation has been in thelinkages between up- and downstream activities.Up-scaling of downstream results is reflected inthe effective support of UNDP to the formulationand adoption of pertinent environment strategiesand action plans, such as on biodiversity anddesertification. UNDP support has also had an impact on developing regional initiatives forenergy conservation and integrated managementof olive oil pressing industry waste.

The impact of UNDP support to the environmentmay also be assessed by attention given to cross-cutting concerns, such as human rights andgender issues. However, assessments of thesecross-cutting issues by the UNDP CO office inJordan have not generally been conducted andinformation is unavailable.


The role of UNDP in supporting the threethematic areas in Jordan, democratic governance,poverty reduction and environment protection, isdefined in part by the expertise and funding itbrings to these programme, and by extension, itsability to effectively perform its dual role ascatalyst and facilitator in development results.

The effectiveness and impact of UNDP supportis probably most direct—and discernible—in thearea of democratic governance, where UNDPoffers the government policy support and advicein the areas of: reforming public administration;amending laws and regulations; capacity-building and institutional development; andother measures intended to reform policies and

government institutions to be in line withJordan’s economic and geopolitical position inthe global economy. There have been importantachievements, including: reforming the taxrevenue system; strengthening the capacity of theDepartment of Statistics; revising the customssystem; addressing corruption; developing anational strategy for youth; and establishing the NCHR. Challenges remain, particularly inadvancing the process of decentralization,empowering local communities, and building thecapacity of governorates and municipalities toassume more control over their own development.Some of the obstacles to progress in this areahave included limited participation of NGOs andCSOs, undeveloped partnerships between publicand private sectors, limited capacity at thecommunity level and the preoccupation of thegovernment with other pressing economic andpolitical issues.

UNDP interventions in the area of povertyalleviation have had limited effectiveness to date.This may be traced in part to the scope of theproblem and the complexity of contributing factorsthat have to be addressed, and may also be attributedto small and scattered UNDP initiatives, particu-larly during the CCF cycle, that were not linkedsystematically or coherently to the wider nationalpurpose and goals. UNDP interventions in thisarea under the CPO have been conceived in amore coherent and strategic manner to approachpoverty alleviation within the broader developmentcommunity. In this respect, UNDP linkages andsupport to upstream and downstream activitieshave yielded some results; such as in focusing theattention of the government and other stakeholderson the connections between interventions in andacross different areas (for example, environmentand poverty reduction) and in demonstrating the importance of community involvement indevelopment projects.

In the area of the environment, UNDP has beenhighly effective in leveraging significant resourcesfrom GEF and performing its strategic role ascatalyst and facilitator to considerable advantage.UNDP interventions in this area offer important



lessons for its interventions in the remainingthematic areas, not least as it carves out a specificrole for itself in the country in creating awareness(through the media, campaigns and advocacyinitiatives) on critical issues.

Achievement of UNDP development results arealso determined by attention to, and interventionwith the government on such issues as encouragingcitizen participation and building consensus forthe course of development. This remains achallenge, as does integrating systematic approachesto human rights and gender in project design andimplementation and at all levels of UNDPsupport and interventions. Last but not least,achievement of development results is contingentupon designing and incorporating systematicmechanisms for ensuring sustainability, as well asmonitoring and evaluating the connectionbetween outputs and outcomes, results and long-term impact, into programme and project designsfrom the outset.

Concerning gender, for example, while it noticeablethat overall gender mainstreaming was strengthenedduring the current 2003–2007 CPO cycle comparedwith the previous 1998–2002 CCF cycle, genderis still largely relegated to the poverty reductionareas. Even then, under both country programmes,only a few projects focused exclusively on womenas target beneficiaries. These included, forexample, the UNDP supported project onEnhancing Technical Training and EmploymentOpportunities for Jordanian Women.

UNDP Jordan has focused on promoting genderequality and women’s empowerment throughsuch activities as workshops promoting women’srole in the MDGs, entrepreneurship, the privatesector, development, and human rights. Genderis also addressed in a separate chapter of the 2004National Human Development Report, in the 2004Jordan Millennium Development Goals Report, andin the process of producing the forthcoming2006 Aqaba Millennium Development GoalsReport. Attention to gender is also reflected inthe project supporting access to information andcommunication technology, where over half thetrained target beneficiaries were female.

There is no explicit mention of gender in relationto MDG7, Ensure Environmental Sustainability,in Jordan’s 2004 MDG Report. Due to the morestringent requirements of GEF, energy andenvironment projects generally reflect clear projectdesigns, work plans and reporting mechanisms.However, here too there appear to be mixed resultswith respect to gender mainstreaming. TheNational Action Plan to Combat Desertificationspecifically mentions potential projects forimplementation by women’s groups, and womenare specifically targeted in the Dibeen NatureReserve project through environmentally sustain-able income generating projects.

The UNDP-supported Dana Nature Reserveproject is a relatively successful example ofcommunity mobilization and participation of small-scale NGOs. Many artisanal crafts activitiesemploy women to do silver work, embroidery,among other occupations, and around 40 percentof projects implemented as part of the GEFSmall Grants Programme are implemented byNGOs focusing on women’s development.

Notwithstanding the above, the evaluation teamcould not discern an explicitly formulated rights-based gender strategy. There is also little evidenceto suggest that gender is mainstreamed in thewaste management for olive oil pressing project.UNDP requires a comprehensive gender strategythat entails three strategically linked dimensions:gender mainstreaming with respect to theUNDP CO, national counterparts, and partners(donors and other United Nations agencies).Identifying gender-related strengths andweaknesses of UNDP Jordan by carrying out astrength, weakness, options, and threats analysisof national counterparts’ activities in gendermainstreaming would help pinpoint areas of jointinterventions supportive of gender mainstreamingbetween UNDP and its partners, and wouldcontribute to strengthening the strategic positionof UNDP in Jordan. An effective gender strategyneeds to be linked to equally effective monitoringand evaluation and advocacy strategies, which incombination would aim to contribute tomeasuring and achieving intended outcomes.


C H A P T E R 5 . C O N C L U S I O N S , L E S S O N S L E A R N E D A N D R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S 6 5

5.1 CONCLUSIONS

Since 1998, UNDP country programmes havecontributed significantly to Jordan’s economicand social development at several levels. DespiteJordan’s continued vulnerability to externalshocks, the country has undertaken serious stepstoward political and public administrationreform, in which UNDP assistance and supportare clearly evident. UNDP has also been influen-tial in leveraging bilateral support and fundingfrom other donors, particularly where thegovernment and international donors’ interestsconverge—such as in preparing Jordan forjoining the WTO and in the general liberalizationof the economy.

However, success on this front has been counter-balanced by the fact that comparatively limitedresources result in UN agencies wielding lessstrategic influence over the course of socio-economictransformations. Given the relatively small size ofcore UNDP funding and comparatively limitedhuman resources—in addition to the ongoingneed to leverage non-core funding to implementvarious programme activities—creative steward-ship is required for UNDP Jordan to have adiscernible effect on the country’s socio-economicand political development.

Notwithstanding the aforementioned limitations,UNDP Jordan has contributed to developmentresults in the three practice areas—governance,poverty and environment, albeit to differingdegrees. During the period under review, UNDPprogrammes in Jordan were generally relevantand responsive to national needs and priorities,and were strategically well positioned to supportthe government in addressing national priorities.

The role of UNDP in supporting Jordan in thereform and liberalization of its political andeconomic systems for participation in the globaleconomy is a key indicator of UNDP results inthe country.

UNDP has generally succeeded in effectivelyutilizing its relatively limited financial resources.The organization has also been successful inleveraging non-core funding to contribute todevelopment results in several major sectors.Such resources have been utilized to supportcommitments to specific national goals andobjectives, as reflected in Jordan’s nationaldevelopment plans, and to promote best practicesin three thematic areas—through policy dialogueand advocacy, demonstration of successful modelsof pilot projects, and through a combination andlinkages of up- and downstream activities. Thedual role of a catalyst and facilitator in developmentthat UNDP has defined for itself in Jordan hasstrengthened its strategic positioning in the country.

It remains difficult, however, to attribute tangibledevelopment results solely to UNDP interventions.In Jordan, a range of governmental, non-govern-mental, local and international stakeholdersundertake development programmes, and resultsare inevitably an outcome of joint efforts by anumber of actors. Other specialized UN agenciesand donors have also made contributions todevelopment results in the areas of governance,poverty and environmental conservation. Challengesremain in key areas, not least of which is the needto mainstream human rights and gender moresystematically at all levels of UNDP practice—from sub-areas and programme design toimplementation, monitoring and evaluation, andassessment of achievements and impact.

Chapter 5

CONCLUSIONS, LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS


C H A P T E R 5 . C O N C L U S I O N S , L E S S O N S L E A R N E D A N D R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S6 6

Improved GovernanceUNDP Jordan has contributed to programmedevelopment, technical support and capacitydevelopment among concerned governmentagencies. This includes implementation of specificinterventions such as: support to e-government;computerization of tax and custom systems; andadministrative and other support to the Parliament,youth, civil society and human rights. Thesedevelopment results are tangible, though theymay vary from one area to another—for example,they are more visible in public administrationreform and less so with regard to decentraliza-tion. Overall results of UNDP interventions aregenerally difficult to quantify, partly due to thenumber of other actors, and partly becauseproject designs have not incorporated clearlydefined evaluative criteria for measuring andmonitoring results.

Though responsive to national priorities andrelevant to government strategies and needs,specific interventions in the area of governanceare not always structured around a coherentstrategy. This leaves the impression of a cluster ofdisparate topics that are addressed but notadequately linked together in the programme.A lack of cohesion is also evident in the design ofthe very projects themselves: while covering anextensive range of activities, they occasionallylack clarity and precision as to the concreteobjectives to be reached. This was especiallypronounced during the CCF cycle, wheregovernance interventions concentrated on a widerange of capacity-building and training activities,with less attention to how these pieces wouldcontribute or were linked to overall institutionaland organizational development. With limitedexceptions, explicit linkages with other thematicareas—poverty and environment—weregenerally not evident.

Poverty Reduction To the extent that UNDP Jordan supports thegovernment in its implementation of successive

strategies to address poverty and unemploymentin the country, UNDP programmes in thispractice area remain in line with national priorities.Development results to which UNDP Jordan hasmade visible contributions are reflected in suchprojects as retraining unemployed youth throughfacilitating their access to ICT in order to meetdemands for employment in national, regionaland potentially international labour markets.

In all, UNDP interventions in this area have beenweaker than in thematic areas of governance andenvironment. During the 1998–2002 CCF cycle,this may have been due to the scattering of toomany small projects that were not sufficientlylinked to a coherent strategy of povertyreduction. During the current 2003–2007 CPOcycle, UNDP has been paying more attention topoverty reduction within a broader approach tocommunity development. However, it is notalways clear how benefits to specific targetedpopulations in these projects can translate intobenefits in poverty reduction at the national level.

Progress in assisting Jordan in monitoring andreporting on the MDGs has been impressive.UNDP Jordan took the lead in supporting thegovernment in measuring achievements andpertinent targets and in developing betterreporting systems. In other areas, more explicitattention to synergies between thematicinterventions is promising; for example, the GEFprogramme supporting environment-relatedactivities has also served to support the objectiveof poverty alleviation by providing communitieswith income-generation and other opportunities.

However, UNDP Jordan continues to addressgender as part of the poverty thematic area ratherthan by approaching gender mainstreaming asapplicable to all thematic areas—includinggovernance, poverty and the environment. This isalso reflected in the presentation of the thematicareas on the CO Web site.95

95 It is important to clarify that this is an issue highlighted in the corporate evaluation report on gender mainstreaming andmay not be unique to UNDP Jordan. According to the country office, it has followed the Multi-Year Funding Frameworkstructure, where gender mainstreaming is stated as one service line with the poverty reduction goal.



Environmental ProtectionUNDP Jordan has left funding of major projectsin this area to other donors, particularly GEF, buthas contributed its expertise to supporting thegovernment’s development or revision of policiesthat ensure environmental protection and conser-vation and manage fragile and valuable naturalresources. UNDP has supported the governmentin meeting requirements of international conven-tions on the environment and in developingregional approaches to specific environmentalchallenges, such as waste management.

UNDP upstream support to enhancing Jordan’snational capacity for environmental managementis reflected in tangible results, such as support toimproving relevant institutional and legal frame-works. At the downstream level, investments inenvironmental sustainability have been leveragedthrough the GEF Small Grants Programme insupport of environmental sustainability throughcommunity mobilization and eco-tourism.UNDP is also supporting interventions tocombat desertification, improve biodiversity andprotect water resources. Support to methanereduction is a model of public and private-sectorcooperation. Upscaling and replication ofinnovative ideas, and tangible results in terms ofenvironmentally friendly projects, representconcerted efforts to achieve environmentalconservation and sustainability, in which UNDPJordan has played a leading catalyst role.

5.1.1 THEMATIC AND CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES

Overall, some positive steps have been undertakenin the three important cross-cutting areas ofmobilizing youth, supporting gender equality andpromoting human rights. Among the tangibledevelopment results to which UNDP programmeshave contributed are: support to the formulationand implementation of the National YouthStrategy to include both male and female youth;support of projects to address the gender gap inwomen’s access to ICT, vocational training andemployment opportunities; and support ofhuman rights through training of judges anddeveloping pertinent institutional and legalframeworks. Putting emphasis on these cross-

cutting issues is very much in line with UNDPcorporate policy and with the Government ofJordan’s stated objectives and national priorities.

As noted earlier, the integration of genderequality and human rights approaches is still arelatively new endeavour, with the exception oflinking gender as a driver in the povertyreduction area. Even there, gender mainstreamingis often approached in a quantitative manner—byadding more women to training opportunities,for example, as with the Knowledge Centres. Ingovernance programming, for example, gendermainstreaming is explicitly addressed in thesupport to Parliament project but is not as anexplicit a focus in projects supporting anti-corruption and the strengthening of the justicesystem. Similarly mixed results are evident insome of the environmental projects; for example,there is little evidence that gender is mainstreamedin the waste management of olive oil pressingproject. Mainstreaming gender into all thematicareas remains to be addressed.

5.1.2 EXIT STRATEGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY

UNDP in Jordan does not automatically integrateexplicit exit and sustainability strategies intoprogramme and project design. This is due tomany factors, including the relatively smallcontributions of UNDP alongside a range ofgovernment and other donors. Even so, the factthat UNDP programmatic interventions areconducted through the main governmentpartner, MOPIC, means that the government isalready in a position to adopt and expandprocesses and outcomes of successful projects.

Moreover, the self-defined role of UNDP primarilyas a catalyst and facilitator of development helpsto focus its strengths and contributions mainly interms of policy dialogue, policy advice andadvocacy (where the notion of an exit strategy or sustainability is more of a qualitative consider-ation), and in demonstration of successful pilot orsmall-scale projects (where up-scaling, andhence, sustaining these interventions, is perhapsmore feasible).



Still, UNDP Jordan’s growing focus on creatingand building synergies and linkages within andacross thematic areas (e.g., environment andpoverty reduction), mobilizing partners andmultiple stakeholders (e.g., GEF projects at thecommunity level) and in making more coherentconnections between up- and downstream activi-ties in each area (e.g., youth awareness campaignsand a national strategy for youth) all contributeto longer-term sustainability and overall benefitsin human development.

5.1.3 PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION

For an agency to effectively contribute to achievingdevelopment results, effective leadership is aprerequisite. Perceptions of UNDP throughoutthe two programme cycles have been somewhatmixed. The trend reflected in the Partners Surveyand in the responses of the participating donoragencies indicates an improvement in howUNDP was regarded in 2004 compared to 2002.Positive changes have been attributed, forexample, to selection and hiring of young andqualified portfolio managers and to intensivetraining at agency and project levels.

Re-profiling the UNDP CO and implementingthe practice of regular meetings involving bothprogramme and operations staff has contributedto strengthening intra-office communications.Effective implementation of the in-houselearning management system has generallystrengthened the CO staff ’s management,communication and leadership skills. Thereremain, however, some concerns about follow-upand linking these advances to capacity develop-ment in strategic thinking as part of institution-alizing a more holistic approach to programming.

UNDP Jordan is widening application of NEXto enhance institutional sustainability as part offacilitating more effective project implementationand avoiding administrative bottlenecks. TheNEX modality has strengthened UNDP relationswith the government, NGOs and CSOs, thuscontributing to more effective programming and more of a sense of national ownership ofdevelopment results.

5.1.4 FINANCIAL RESOURCES

In response to the UNDP Administrator’s 2000Business Plan, UNDP Jordan developed aframework for resource mobilization, aiming tostrengthen existing resource mobilizationmodalities as well as explore potential ones. As isthe case with all UNDP country offices, UNDPJordan’s core resources (Target for ResourceAssignments from Core) have been reduced, and50 percent of staff is currently financed by extra-budgetary resources (see Figure 1). Though thelatter have increased substantially, the challengeof generating the required minimum remains,and so does continuing to improve the cost-recovery mechanism.

It is only recently that UNDP began to compilemanagement expenditure in terms of countryoffices, a decision long overdue for measuringmanagement and cost-effectiveness of theconcerned CO. In Jordan, this type of measure-ment is less than three years old. The financialanalysis of Programme Budget and ManagementExpenditures for the three-year period of2004–2006 reveals that: (a) managementexpenditures varied between 15 and 30 percent;(b) the main factor was the size of theprogramme and not the expenditure; and (c) inreal terms, allowing for inflation in Jordan at arate of 3 percent, the cost of management isdeclining in both relative and absolute terms. Iffurther allowance is made for the markeddepreciation of the US dollar over the last years,then the relative cost of management has in factdeclined significantly.

The financial resources available for UNDP core,non-core, government and partners’ share aredepicted and analysed in Annex VI. A comparisonof UNDP resources in the two programme cyclesreveals that in real terms—using a deflator basedon a three-year average for the period of theCCF—the increase in budgetary resources ismodest and is in the range of $2 million and not$5 million as it is purportedly cited.

The financial analysis also substantiates anumber of concerns:



� The percentage of official developmentassistance averages at approximately 5 percentfor the assessment period. Only in 2003 wasit higher, apparently due to significanttransfers of grants from the United Statesduring the Iraq War.

� The amount of UNDP assistance does notqualify the CO among the ten top donors.Large donors’ funding is currently led byUSAID at actual annual disbursement ofover $600 million, and the effect of such aprogramme cannot be matched by UNDP orother smaller organizations and donors.

� The share of government and third partiesamounted to about 47 percent in 1998–2002,and an estimated 50 percent in 2003–2007.During the earlier fifth cycle (1992–1997),the government failed to meet its partnershipcommitments but honoured its commit-ments throughout the CCF (see Annex VI).

� UNDP funding of $20–25 million per cycle(i.e., approximately $8 million per annum)represents largely non-core funds; only about$3 million per cycle, or $1 million perannum, is from core resources.

� The share of the three programmes ingovernance, poverty and the environment inthe programme cycles (see Annex VI) revealsthe priority accorded to governance issues.UNDP perceives its comparative advantagein this practice area and is trying to strategi-cally position itself in activities that help withthe transformation of government and theimprovement of socioeconomic services.

Total budget allocations could be used as anindicator of the importance accorded by UNDPto a given practice area, but the technical costs ofproject implementation and the ability toleverage government cost-sharing and non-corefunding should be taken into account. Thegovernance programme is the largest of the threepractice areas in terms of total budget allocationin the current 2003–2007 CPO, compared to theenvironment programme during the 1998–2002CCF. Currently, the total budget for poverty andthe environment is approximately 50 percent ofthe total budget allocated to governance.Significantly, the governance portfolio iscurrently also the largest in terms of governmentand third party cost-sharing, followed by thepoverty portfolio, and last the environment

Source: Executive Snapshot – Financial Summary

Figure 1. Programme vs. Management Expenditures

8,000

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

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02004 2005 2006

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�Management expenditure� Programme expenditure



programme. However, the latter is the largestwith respect to other non-core funding, reflectingreliance on leveraging GEF support.

5.2 KEY LESSONS LEARNED

Based on the evaluation of UNDP efforts inJordan over the two programme cycles, it isevident that UNDP could have played moredecisive and effective roles in certain areas orinterventions. These include facilitating a higherlevel of engagement by civil society groups inaddressing key governance challenges andmaking more strategic and coherent linksbetween the three thematic areas, as was donewith poverty reduction and environmentalsustainability. These points were expressedrepeatedly during interviews with various civilsociety groups during the evaluation mission.

Assessment of the UNDP contribution todevelopment results points to the following keylessons that UNDP Jordan could take intoaccount in order to strengthen its strategicposition and enhance development outcomes andresults in Jordan.

5.2.1 STRENGTHENING UNDP STRATEGIC POSITION

The relatively unique institutional characteristicsof UNDP—including its coordinating rolewithin the UN system, its multi-sectoralmandate, its perceived political neutrality, itsstrong local presence and ability to mobilizeexpertise from local or global markets, and itstime-tested mechanisms for mobilizing andcombining funds from multiple sources intointegrated programmes—place UNDP in aunique position to undertake interventions in keydevelopment areas in the country.

Ensuring effective development results requires acoherent strategy linking objectives and antici-pated outcomes in planning, programming,budgeting, implementation and evaluation. Such

was the result of 2001 Re-Profiling Mission,which recommended that UNDP reassert itsleadership as the “agency working to eliminatepoverty” and its “role in promoting humandevelopment.”96 In this vein, the current 2003–2007 CPO has made a point of adopting astrategic approach to development challenges inJordan within more coherently linked issues, suchas the approach to community development andreform processes.

Entry points in the three thematic areas areclearly in line with national priorities. Severalprojects launched during the previous CCF cycleare continuing during the current CPO. UNDPJordan’s focus on refining and linking its primaryrole as a catalyst, facilitator, and most recently,advocate in development, leverage UNDPinstitutional strengths and put these to best use inthe Jordanian context. This, in turn, strengthensUNDP Jordan’s strategic positioning in the countryand its contribution to development results.

5.2.2 CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND BUILDING CONSENSUS

Achieving consensus is the foundation ofdemocratic governance. Consensus promotesefficient and proper functioning of governmentand confers legitimacy over government actions.For UNDP in Jordan, the building of consensusfulfils multiple functions and has taken place atdifferent levels, such as:

� the youth strategy;

� the formulation of the MDGs report; and

� the promotion of human rights.

Thus far, such initiatives have not been able toestablish a sustained model of dialogue withCSOs, professional associations or the media.Despite the growing importance of the media inUNDP interventions, the organization has notactively supported capacity development projectsin the media sector (e.g., capacity development ofthe Centre for Defending Freedom of Journalists97).

96 Mission Report: Jordan – Country Office Re-Profiling (UNDP, 2001), Annex 2, 16.97 See http://www.cdfj.org



Similarly, though promoting the private sector isan underlying principle of UNDP programmestrategy, this has yet to translate into activesupport of, for example, the Chambers ofCommerce and Industry.

5.2.3 MAINSTREAMING GENDER

The 2005 UNDP Gender Strategy and the2006–2007 Revised Gender Action Plan set theparameters for the corporate objective of promotinggender equality and women‘s empowerment.98

The 2004–2007 Multi-Year Funding Frameworkincludes a gender driver for measuring develop-ment effectiveness cutting across all service lines,aiming to ensure that gender is integrated into allUNDP practice areas and measured throughspecific performance indicators.

The 2005 Evaluation of Gender Mainstreaming inUNDP concluded that, in spite of variousachievements, there have also been severalshortcomings. Examples of such deficienciesinclude: persisting ambiguities of placing genderunder the poverty mandate; missed opportunitiesfor more strategic mainstreaming of genderanalysis and interventions into practice areasrather than emphasizing women-focused activities;uneven accountability and incentive mechanisms;insufficient capacity for gender mainstreaming;missed advocacy and partnership opportunities;and inadequate financial resources. All of theselimitations were reflected in the UNDP CCFand CPO cycles in Jordan.

The management response system at UNDPheadquarters is undergoing significant organiza-tional change, such as: moving the Gender Unitout of the Poverty Group and to reportingdirectly to the Director of the Bureau ofDevelopment Policy; ensuring that financialresources for gender mainstreaming are earmarkedand traceable; including gender mainstreaming in annual competence assessments for seniormanagement; and designating UNIFEM’s

Executive Director as Special Adviser to theUNDP Administrator and as a member of theUNDP Senior Management Team. It isimportant for UNDP Jordan to benefit from newopportunities for leadership and management ingender mainstreaming afforded by such changes.

To date, the Jordan CO Web site still lists genderspecifically in relation to poverty interventions,but little else. Projects specifically targetingwomen are still listed under the poverty practicearea, and mainstreaming gender is mentionedunder the section “Reducing Poverty” in theUNDP Jordan Annual Report 2004.

5.2.4 ADVOCACY

Advocating and promoting UNDP values and itsmission in Jordan is identified as part of the COgoal to strengthen its strategic partnership basethat can support the implementation of theCountry Programme, with special emphasis onthe MDGs, gender and the human rights-basedapproach. Advocacy is also regarded as central todisseminating the messages of UNDP HumanDevelopment Reports and the UNDP ArabHuman Development Reports in the country.

Advocacy is rapidly emerging as a third pillar forUNDP in Jordan, in conjunction with andcomplementing its dual role as a catalyst andfacilitator in development. UNDP Jordan couldutilize the media more effectively, both in regardto advocating for democratizing legislation andregulations through various media outlets, and interms of media capacity-building.99 This hasimplications both for the ability of UNDP to getits message out, and for press freedoms and civilrights in general in a country where lack of mediaprofessionalism is reportedly pervasive.

In view of the growing UNDP realization thatdisseminating information and promoting greaterawareness of development issues are critical toeffective interventions, UNDP Jordan appointed

98 See: http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:2Pb13R2Z3msJ:www.undp.org/execbrd/word/dp06-9.doc+2006%E2%80%932007+Revised+Gender+Action+Plan&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

99 The mission met with media persons and a renowned reporter, and discussed the importance of the media in reportingon progress in human rights as well as any violations that may occur.



a media associate at the end of 2003. Theassociate’s tasks included: issuing regular pressreleases with special focus on UNDP achievements(i.e., success stories); maintaining a press log tomonitor coverage on the UN and UNDP;organizing launches of UN reports and celebrationsof international day events relevant to UNDPprogramme focus in Jordan; distributing publicationsand brochures—including up-to-date project factsheets—to concerned parties; and contributing tothe preparation of annual CO reports.

Participation of the media associate in projectfield visits, which are reported in the media,updating the Intranet, preparing lists of goodpractices and lessons learned, and participating inweekly programme meetings are all aimed tofurther enhance intra-office information sharing.The media associate is also expected to workclosely with other UN agencies’ media officers tocarry out joint activities.

Appointing a separate media associate—ratherthan adding advocacy-related tasks to theresponsibilities of existing staff—reflects anawareness of the importance of advocacy andmedia outreach. This would be further strength-ened by an active UN Country Team andreflected in joint advocacy and communicationscampaigns. The establishment of the UnitedNations Media and Communication Group inJordan in November 2005 aimed “to coordinatecommunication efforts of the UNCT” andproviding “a strong unifying platform for dealingwith common communications challenges.”100 Itis expected to contribute to UNDP media andoutreach efforts.

5.2.5 PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT ANDOPERATIONAL CAPACITY

Responses of various participants in the PartnersSurvey validate some of the views expressed byUNDP staff about the importance of assuringflexibility in both programme and project design and

implementation. Such responses point to the needfor stronger monitoring and adjustments in this area.With the exception of MOPIC staff, programmemanagers and government officials point out thatallowing flexibility after project approval isextremely difficult and hindered by financialresources, time allotted for completion, and rulesand regulations (e.g., procurement procedures).

Rapid and unanticipated developments in Jordanand the region, however, do demonstrate a needfor flexible programme interventions so thatthere is greater scope to recalibrate the focus andexpected results of an intervention based oneffective programme monitoring, as well asemerging national priorities and needs.

Operationally, UNDP Jordan’s work volume hasbeen increasing due to the shift towards anational execution support modality wheneverfeasible. The CO initiated this shift as a means ofaddressing administrative delays on the part ofimplementing and executing agencies. There maybe implications for the workload of operational andprogramme staff, which will need to be assessed.

5.2.6 MONITORING AND EVALUATION

UNDP in Jordan is confronting consequences ofinadequate monitoring and evaluation systems.This problem is not exclusive to UNDP andcharacterizes operations in UN, MOPIC andother development agencies.

Monitoring and evaluation are indispensabletools in planning and programming. They arecritical for accurately measuring achievement ofgoals and development results and are a necessarydecision tool for management. During the1998–2002 CCF cycle, the only reference tomanagement arrangements for monitoring andevaluation was as “progress in implementing theCCF ... will be reviewed in depth by mid-2000.”101 There was no evidence that such areview was undertaken.

100‘Towards a Common UN System Approach: Harnessing Communication to Achieve the MDGs’, UN Department ofPublic Information, Paper presented by Masimba Tafirenyikafor the10th Inter-Agency Round Table on Communicationfor Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 12-14 February 2007.

101First Country Cooperation Framework for Jordan (1998-2002),UNDP 2002.



In contrast, and in recognition of the importanceof a monitoring and evaluation system, the2003–2007 CPO elaborated a plan for monitoringand evaluation throughout the programme cycle.In it, “appropriate tools will be adopted to assesslinkages, improve collection and use of selectedindicators that are gender disaggregated.”However, monitoring and evaluation have notbeen fully integrated into the managementfunction at either the programme or the projectlevel. The UNDAF 2003–2007 addressed theissue of monitoring progress and discussed theneed to formulate monitoring indicators, butthere is no evidence that this had beenimplemented in Jordan.

The new leader of the Unit on Statistics inJordan is articulate and well informed on theneed to focus on development outcomes andresults, and progress on this front is expected.Further efforts to undertake joint monitoringexercises with UNDP partners and to integratethese into evaluations of outcomes and impactwould be valuable. The Common CountryAssessment offers one such venue, to allowassessment of both policy and programmeperformance and match these with the prioritiesof the partner agencies and the government. Thisprocess was undertaken at the macro, project, andthematic levels, but was conducted qualitatively,without reference to the quantitative targetsincluded in the CCA. Linking monitoring andevaluation to audits has not been carried out so far.

Only the GEF-funded projects, such as theSmall Grants Programme, systematicallyintegrate monitoring and evaluation mechanismsinto projects. GEF also requires gender analysisin project reports. The GEF monitoring andevaluation system is designed to use SMARTindicators: specific; measurable; achievable andattributable; relevant and realistic, and time-bound and timely. Even there, the application ofthese principles as rigorous monitoring andevaluation is not entirely evident.

There is a consensus that data and informationshould contribute to measuring outcomes in

addition to outputs, and that it should be morespecifically results-oriented. The main challengesfor monitoring and evaluation remain: use ofmonitoring and evaluation as a management toolfor strengthening the development process;involving stakeholders and beneficiaries; anddisseminating information to various uses.

5.2.7 HUMAN RESOURCES

The 2001 Jordan Country Office Re-ProfilingMission recognized a number of reformsundertaken by senior management, but alsopointed to areas requiring further strengtheningand improvement. Concerns revolved aroundintra-office communication, functioning andperformance, and compartmentalization ofUNDP operations, with adverse implications forsynergies between programme areas. Thesecritical issues had also been raised during thesame period at a Change Management andCommunications Workshop.

Since 2003, UNDP Jordan has largely incorpo-rated the recommendations of the Re-ProfilingMission, including recommendations fordownsizing. As the current CO organizationalchart reveals (see Annex VII), the office has beenrestructured with generally positive outcomes interms of strengthening programme andoperations management. Regular meetingsinvolving programme and operations staff arecontributing to strengthening internal communi-cations. Job descriptions have been revised, postshave been reclassified, and new staff membershave joined UNDP Jordan over the past fewyears. Seventy percent of current staff membershave been in place for less than five years, withboth positive implications in terms of bringing innew energy and expertise, and negative implicationsof lacking institutional memory. Specifically,there has been a tendency to overlook or neglectcontinuities between previous and currentcountry programmes, thus missing opportunitiesfor linking cycles to further strengthen UNDPstrategic positioning in the country.

UNDP Jordan is clearly investing in developingand strengthening a critical mass of in-house



expertise through the learning managementsystem. Self-identified CO staff learning needs,as well as the CO Learning Plan, reflectincreased efforts to strengthen management,communication and leadership skills. Overall,responses to the 2004 UNDP Jordan PartnerSurvey indicate improved perceptions withregard to staff performance. Some 48 percent ofrespondents in 2004 perceived an overallefficiency improvement, compared with 28.6percent in 2002. Around one third of 2004respondents indicated that overall staff perform-ance was ‘very good’, which is more than doublethe percentage rated so in 2002. A similar trendis discernible with respect to providing informa-tion, interpersonal skills and timely responses.Some 22.2 percent of respondents indicated thatstaff technical competence in 2004 was ‘verygood’, compared to none in 2002. Similarimprovements were demonstrated in financialand substantive reporting. Only a minority ofrespondents rated UNDP staff as ‘poor’ or ‘verypoor’ on these criteria.

In-house capacity development requires strategi-cally accessing available capacities and knowledgeresources in UNDP Headquarters as well as inregional bureaux. Overall, UNDP Jordan scoresrelatively high with regard to network participationand inter-office knowledge sharing. However,additional capacity development in strategicthinking and in holistic approaches to strategydevelopment would be conducive to developingUNDP Jordan into an effective knowledge centrethat contributes more effectively to developmentresults in the country. As indicated in the 2005Mid-Term Review of the 2003–2007 CPO,102

UNDP Jordan is aware of the importance of aholistic approach to programming and is committedto taking additional measures in this area.

Following the 2005 Mid-Term Review, UNDPJordan’s learning management system recognizedthe need to focus on improving the overallperformance of project managers. The CO hasmoved towards addressing some of these issues,

including the preparation of an induction kit fornew project managers and providing training in project-related administrative procedures.Outstanding concerns that remain to be addressedare the management and communication ofknowledge collected during project implementa-tion—beyond a static monitoring exercise.Equally important is linking such knowledge withdocumented experiences from similar projects,with other projects in the same programme, aswell as with projects in other practice areas. Thiswould contribute to achieving the holisticapproach to programming discussed earlier.

Linked to the above human resources-relatedissues is the role of project steering and technicalcommittees. UNDP, in coordination with theproject executing and implementing agencies,does strive to ensure the optimal choice ofcommittee members; however, this is not alwayseasy to achieve. Political considerations as well asprofessional and technical skills enter intoconsideration. Issues relating to gender balanceare also a concern. While UNDP attempts toaddress the gender balance within committees,this is usually approached as numerical balance.Little if any attention appears to be accorded toanalytical skills of committee members in theareas of poverty, gender and linkages to therights-based approach to human development.

An e-management system was introduced inearly 2006 to facilitate candidates’ response tovacancy announcements advertised through localnewspapers. UNDP Jordan has actuallysurpassed the human resources policy inpromoting gender equity: gender parity inUNDP Jordan is actually biased towards femalestaff, with an overall staff distribution of twothirds female to one third male. Currently, femalestaff members also hold senior management posts,though middle management and programmeposts tend to be more evenly distributed. Addinggreater numbers of women, however, is notautomatically linked to greater attention tomainstreaming gender. Women may be as

102Ghosheh, H., Mid-Term Review of Technical Cooperation Programme 2003–2007 (UNDP Jordan, June 2005).



‘gender-blind’ as men, and men can be as gender-sensitive as women. It is not the numbers thatcount, but learning, by both men and women,about effective gender mainstreaming inprogramme areas and projects.

5.2.8 STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITHCOUNTERPARTS AND STAKEHOLDERS

Jordan’s MOPIC is the main UNDP governmentcounterpart.The generally constructive relationshipbetween UNDP and MOPIC is reflected inUNDP responsiveness to introducing amendmentsto the 2003–2007 CPO based on recommenda-tions outlined in the 2005 Mid-Term Review andin active MOPIC involvement in this review ofthe CPO.103 Among the recommendations wereattention to a more participatory approach;attention to mainstreaming the cross-cuttingthemes of youth, gender and ICT in projectdevelopment; increased focus on strategic resultsplanning in the poverty alleviation thematic area;more effective monitoring and evaluation; andincreased attention to project sustainability.

Through support of the Aid Coordination Unit,UNDP has contributed to enhancing thecapacity of MOPIC to coordinate and managefinancial and technical assistance. Despite somelimitations of the unit, this intervention is vital tostrengthening joint programming with developmentagencies and donors in Jordan, and to enhancingUNDP strategic positioning in the country.

UNDP strategic partnerships include otherstakeholders at the micro or community level.Though most UNDP contacts take placethrough the implementing partners—particularlyNGOs and CSOs—contributing to nationaldevelopment results through achieving intendedoutcomes puts the onus on UNDP to put intopractice effective community mobilization.UNDP has increasingly come to recognize theimportance of involving stakeholders and benefi-ciaries from the outset, and ensuring the effective(albeit time-consuming) participation oftraditionally marginalized population groups—

including women, youth, and residents of remoteareas (e.g., the Badia). UNDP Jordan hasinvested commendable effort in promoting themobilization of youth as part of developing theNational Youth Strategy, and—indirectly—ofcommunities through involvement of NGOs andCBOs in the Aqaba MDG project. Not onlydoes close community participation yield betterdevelopment results, it also establishes anddemonstrates UNDP commitment to genderequality and incorporation of attention to humanrights in development programming.

Focus group discussions undertaken during thisevaluation revealed that UNDP still needs toinvest more effort into effectively supportingcommunity mobilization, linking this withefforts to strengthen its comparative advantageand strategic positioning in the country.Following the encouraging achievements ofprojects linking environmental conservation andpoverty reduction, UNDP now has a strategicopportunity to institutionalize its linkages withcommunity groups in the remaining practice areas,and to promote an enabling environment thatsupports rights-holders and their claims on dutybearers. This could be affected through existingprojects, such as the Knowledge Centres and theyouth project, as well as in future programming.

5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS

UNDP Jordan’s thematic focus on the three mainareas of governance, poverty reduction and theenvironment in the CCF and CPO cyclesproperly reflect the national priorities anddemonstrate UNDP programmatic relevance andits general responsiveness to Jordan’s develop-ment needs.

Effective UNDP interventions have been mostpronounced where it has been able to leverageand promote its dual role as a catalyst and facili-tator of development processes to their fullestadvantage, and where it has been able to connectup- and downstream activities in a strategically

103Ibid.



coherent and holistic manner within andbetween thematic areas.

Keeping in mind the achievements, challenges,and lessons learned through UNDP programmeinterventions during the periods of the1998–2002 CCF and 2003–2007 CPO cycles,this evaluation outlines specific recommenda-tions for enhancing UNDP Jordan’s strategicpositioning and contribution to developmentresults in the country.

5.3.1 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Strategic positioning

� Strengthen the strategic positioning andimage of UNDP Jordan as a neutral playerthrough innovative steps to promote effectivedialogue and partnerships with a range ofCSOs, private-sector organizations and localcommunities. This also promotes UNDP as aneutral player in Jordanian society;

� Strengthen the comparative and institutionaladvantage of UNDP by linking projects andactivities with regional initiatives of the RCF,such as the Programme on Governance inthe Arab Region, and others, as well asrelevant South-South networks;

� Strengthen development results through acoherent strategy and holistic approach tointersections and overlap in the threethematic areas; design specific programmeand project interventions on this basis. Forexample, biodiversity and eco-tourismprojects in specific communities in Jordancan contribute simultaneously to preservingthe environment and providing employmentopportunities to community residents. Thiswould also contribute to awareness building;

� Examine premises and implicit assumptionsabout development processes and results inJordan—for example, connection between

unemployment and poverty; the impact of economic liberalization through theestablishment of QIZs; poverty reduction;environmental consequences; employmentopportunities; relations between the governmentand the private sector; and cross-cuttingissues of advancing gender empowermentand equality and achieving human rights;

� Strengthen UNDP strategic position,comparative advantage and contribution todevelopment results by systematic, gender-sensitive and consensus-building approach toaddress human rights issues, involving allrelevant stakeholders in the society; and

� Proceed with exploration of main develop-ment needs identified in the 2004 JordanNHDR as a programming guide and tool in UNDP interventions; translate andoperationalize into concrete programme andproject interventions and synergies theconceptual dynamism and points of integra-tion across MDGs, AHDRs, UNDAF andcountry programmes.104

Relevance and responsiveness

� Invite the direct participation of residents oflocal communities in all stages of programmedesign and implementation, thus promotingthe integration of cross-cutting issues,including gender and human rights;

� Conceptualize and design programmes withattention to coherence and strategic linkages,so that project benefits contribute to tangibledevelopment results, which are not limited todirect targets of interventions. For example,deepen the impact of the Knowledge Centresthat target the educated poor or the nearpoor by designing interventions by UNDP orother relevant agencies to support peoplewith insufficient resources or education tobenefit from these centres, thus creatingsynergies between the education/training

104NHDR – A Tool for Programming and Advocacy (UNDP Jordan, 2004). This document provides strategic and coherentlinkages and integration between and among UNDP Jordan projects, especially in areas of poverty reduction and gover-nance, which can be used as a guide and tool in future programming.



sector and other innovative projects. This will also contribute to national ownershipand sustainability;

� Strengthen the downstream niche of UNDPby widening the network of community-based NGOs as well as mobilizing theprivate sector;

� Develop strategies and approaches for moreeffective links between up- and downstreamlevels through an explicitly formulated,holistic, rights-based approach to tacklingenvironmental concerns, linked to intendedoutcomes in governance and poverty alleviation;

� Analyze strategies and interventions thatwould address long-term behaviouralchanges, keeping in mind that the impact ofshort-term interventions on behaviouralchange is difficult to measure, and thatimplementing agencies may not have avested interest in measuring outcomesbeyond the life of a project. For example,once a strategic sector—such as youth—hasbeen identified, develop a range of policy-oriented, pilot or small-scale projects, orawareness-raising interventions that inviteand involve youth directly in theirimplementation. Integrate mechanisms foreffectively promoting behavioural change,and monitoring and evaluation systems toassess results over time; and

� Distinguish between disseminating informa-tion through media and outreach, and advocacywith policy makers, designed to promptaction in order to precipitate change (theseare not identical);

UNDP Jordan as a catalyst, facilitator and advocate in development

� Advocate strategic inter-linkages betweenthe three core practice areas to achieveintended outcomes and so contribute todevelopment results in Jordan;

� Strategize media messages, advocacy initia-tives and campaigns to complement eachother, and to reflect and strengthen UNDPinstitutional advantages, with special

emphasis on cross-cutting issues of genderand human rights;

� Develop a choherent advocacy strategy thatis designed to prompt action in order toprecipatate change and operationally linkedto partnerships within the three thematic areas.This is distinct from UNDP media outreachthat informs the public about its activities.

� Link advocacy strategy with support fordeveloping the role of the media in dissemi-nating information, raising awareness ofpeople on rights-based approaches ingeneral, and of human rights, the rule of lawand gender equality in particular;

� Utilize successful outcomes of UNDPinterventions to design messages in mediaand advocacy campaigns—for example, theglobal and national UNDP HumanDevelopment Reports and MDG-relatedinterventions and activities;

� Support public information campaigns—forexample, replicate and build on successes ofthe Jordan GEF National Dialogue InitiativeWorkshop;

� Promote the role of UNDP as a catalystalongside its comparative advantage as aknowledge broker and a neutral agencysupporting the human rights-based approachto human development;

� Ensure a clear strategy for capturingadvocacy or ‘soft assistance’ undertaken byUNDP through relevant monitoring andevaluation approaches;

� Identify potential national and regionalpartnerships conducive to supporting theUNDP mandate and strategic objectives inJordan; and

� Link advocacy activities with efforts topromote joint programming within UNCTand DLCG.

Managing strategic partnerships

� Balance the dual role of UNDP ResidentRepresentative and UNDP Resident



Coordinator for greatest impact. At the sametime, strengthen the in-country niche andstrategic position of UNDP as the leader incoordination and harmonization among UNagencies; and strengthen UNDP comparativeadvantage as the lead agency supporting aholistic and rights-based approach to humandevelopment;

� Apply and incorporate lessons learned in theCCF and CPO to joint programmingprocesses through the CCA and UNDAF;

� Leverage UNDP strategic position inUNCT and DLCG for enhancing dialogueamong key donors to mobilize resources,harmonize programming priorities andfunding, and maximize development results,particularly in the areas of poverty reductionand the environment;

� Enhance UNDP Jordan’s position and role inUNCT and DLCG by promoting itssuccessful implementation of the learningmanagement system, an approach whichwould also contribute to strengtheningcooperation between staff in the various UNagencies operating in Jordan; and

� Adopt a proactive approach towardscapacity-building of the Chambers ofCommerce and Industry as well as otherrelevant associations as part of strengtheningthe private sector, integrating this withgovernance-related activities, such as e-procurement and e-accounting, customscomputerization, investment promotion andstrengthening of the justice system, all ofwhich are conducive to promoting vibrantchambers with constructive roles to play inJordan’s economic development.

Programme management andoperational capacity

� Recruit and/or train UNDP programme staffin strategic approaches to complex develop-ment issues;

� Recruit and/or train project managers versedin mainstreaming gender and human rights-based approaches to development;

� Mainstream gender in projects beyondquantitative criteria or solely through‘women-oriented’ efforts through carefulanalysis of the different roles men andwomen play in Jordanian society and thechallenges and constraints that affect theirparticipation, obstacles to empowerment andequality, etc.;

� Promote gender mainstreaming by creatinggreater synergy with UNDP governanceinitiatives. Ensure that gender is effectivelymainstreamed in energy and environmentpolicies and interventions and is not confinedto the poverty reduction area;

� Mainstream human rights into projectdesign by operationalizing the human rights-based approach to development that is beingintegrated into UNDP practice areas;

� Mainstream attention to youth more explicitlyand directly in project and programmedesign, taking into account the challengesfacing youth in Jordan beyond the specificcommunities or sectors targeted;

� Integrate attention to ICT as cross-cuttingissue more explicitly in relevant project andprogramme designs. Link initiatives in astrategically coherent manner to producedevelopment results such as reducing povertythrough educating and training for employ-ment opportunities;

� Incorporate clear exit strategies as a criticalcomponent of project and programmedesign, which should include assessment offinancial and human resources that might berequired beyond project cycles; and

� Connect exploration of exit strategies withstrategic entry points for institutional andcapacity development at the outset of aproject. This is a challenge where severalprojects aim to achieve a particular outcome,but where the various timeframes do notcoincide. This also requires linking exitstrategies to programme evaluations, so as toascertain whether initiatives should beextended to a further phase or discontinued



in favour of new initiatives that might more effectively contribute to achievingintended outcomes.

Monitoring and evaluation

� Commit and assign priority and financialand staffing resources to collaborate incapacity-building and training exercises toachieve and implement consistent monitor-ing and evaluation systems betweenMOPIC, UNDP Jordan, implementingpartners and other stakeholders, such asother UN and donor agencies;

� Explore opportunities for joint evaluations,given that many programmes and projects areco-financed, further adopted and expanded byvarious donors and partners. This could becoordinated by DLCG and would supportthe intent of the UNDAF exercise;

� Integrate monitoring and evaluationmechanisms into project and programmedesign and implementation to assessresults—i.e. outputs and outcomes;

� Conduct outcome evaluations to test thelevel of sustainability, areas requiring furtherimprovement and to identify best practices.Such assessments are indispensable for properplanning, budgeting and implementationprocesses. They may also indicate to UNDPJordan where more advocacy or other effortsare required;

� Strengthen UNDP Jordan’s capacity to captureinformation both qualitatively and quantita-tively so as to transform data into knowledge,thus guiding future interventions; and

� Correlate evaluative evidence to selectedvariables that determine the nature andintensity of intermediate and longer-termresults and type of recipients to provideinformation on such issues as: the size ofinvestment and implications of cost-sharing;targeted as opposed to non-targetedapproaches; effective targeting in terms ofpoverty and gender sensitivity; outputs andoutcomes; political commitment; andpartnerships and resources.

5.3.2 SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS IN THEMATIC AREAS

Democratic governanceJordan faces a double challenge in the area ofdemocratic governance. It needs to promoteeconomic transformation while developing andstrengthening democratic processes at the sametime. This requires moving beyond reformsalready implemented, to an approach whichmeets the demands of the citizens—above allthose most in need and most vulnerable—andintegrates those demands into dynamic processesof change. UNDP efforts should be intensified tosupport the preparation of an informed andresponsible citizenry that participates in addressingthe challenges of human development anddemocratic governance facing the country andstrengthens Jordan as the knowledge economy itstrives to become.

The field of judicial reform, including thejuvenile justice sector, represents a significantchallenge for UNDP to identify approaches thatwould achieve concrete results. These approachesshould stress not only institutional strengthening,but also—and perhaps above all—the promotionof access to justice. UNDP can effectivelyleverage its comparative advantage in policydialogue, advocacy and as a facilitator of develop-ment in this area. Also, UNDP may furthersupport the government and relevant stakeholdersin integrating a more systematic participatory,gender-sensitive and consensus-building approachto human rights issues in Jordan.

UNDP is about to launch a new decentralizationinitiative focusing on the Zarqa Governorate.This area is characterized by relatively highpoverty levels and environmental degradation.Decentralization is aimed at enhancing theinstitutional and territorial organization of thestate and has long been a focus of both theGovernment of Jordan and the largest donors inthe country. The cooperation offered by UNDPin this sector supports stated government priorities,enhances UNDP strategic positioning, andprovides effective use of limited resources to



promote change at the community level todemonstrate results that can be linked to largerefforts at the national level. UNDP support inthis area provides opportunities to betterintegrate political, social and environmentalinterventions within and across thematic areas,and contributes to effective linkages to upstreamlevel activities. It also allows focused attention tomainstreaming gender, youth and human rights.UNDP Jordan can benefit from exchanges withother UNDP country offices with similar experi-ences—for example, Armenia and Indonesia.

UNDP interventions should:

� Support the training of an informed andresponsible citizenry that participates inaddressing the challenges of human develop-ment and democratic governance that facethe country. Such support should incorporatemore systematic attention to the opinionsand needs of diverse population groups,including women and youth. In order tostrengthen civil society—including NGOs,CSOs, the media sector, other professionalnetworks and stakeholders—this support shouldbe part of a comprehensive strategy thatintegrates a more systematic, participatory,gender sensitive and consensus-buildingapproach to human rights issues;

� Support decentralization by demonstrating,through community projects, results that canbe linked to larger efforts at the national leveland by promoting linkages between political,social and environmental interventionswithin and across UNDP thematic areas.Where relevant, UNDP should promotegreater synergy with governance initiatives ofother UN agencies and donors. Results ofsuch efforts should be used to engage inpolitical dialogue and policy advice in orderto support the Government of Jordan inamending legislation to fully decentralize,rather than occasionally delegate, authority;

� Identify strategic approaches in judicialreform—such as the juvenile justice system—that stress institutional strengthening and

promotion of access to justice. UNDP caneffectively leverage its comparative advantagein policy dialogue, advocacy, and as facilitatorin order to support the government inrevising the laws and legislation that hindergenuine judicial reform. Such reformincludes legislative changes to grant fullindependence to NCHR and interventionsto strengthen human and financial resourcesfor NCHR to fulfil its mandate;

� Support the Government of Jordan in buildingthe capacity of governorate-level ministriesand municipalities, paying particular attentionto long-term organizational developmentand institution-building, not just training ofselect ministry staff (e.g., budgeting andaccounting, service provision). UNDP needsto enhance its support to the Department ofStatistics, MOPIC, MOEn and departmentsof the central government, so that theseagencies can better utilize and share data andinformation on poverty, unemployment,household income, etc., with governmentalagencies and NGOs at the local level; and

� Support national-level efforts to improvecoverage and efficiency of public campaigns onlegal education to enhance peoples’knowledge of their rights, based on approachesthat are sensitive to poverty and gender. Suchefforts should be used to improve criminalinvestigation techniques, further train thepolice and judges, and promote citizensafety—for example, to sensitize the policeand judiciary in addressing violence againstwomen, including honour killings.

Poverty reductionAddressing poverty and unemployment in Jordanis a prerequisite to achieving economic stabilityand human development in the country. In viewof its limited financial allocations compared tothe vast need in this area, UNDP should focus onsupporting distributive reforms that may lead topositive impacts on the poor. At the same time,UNDP should demonstrate successful communityprojects, for example, in a defined geographicalarea, which may be up-scaled and replicated at



the national level—with special emphasis on thosethat create and promote synergies and linkageswithin and across thematic areas. UNDP mayleverage its comparative advantage in promotingsynergies and linkages between up- anddownstream activities in poverty reduction.


� Support the Government of Jordan andrelevant stakeholders in strategizing anddesigning poverty reduction interventionsrelevant to specific geographical and socio-economic contexts through human developmentperspectives (i.e., principles of inclusion,equity and participation, among otheraspects). For example, needs and priorities ofresidents in outlying rural areas will bedifferent from those prevailing in Zarqa, adisadvantaged urban area with high povertylevels. This should entail incorporatinganalyses of and attention to interests, needs,priorities and participation of diversesegments of the population, includingattention to mainstreaming gender andhuman rights as integral to project designand implementation;

� Demonstrate, through pilot and small-scaleprojects, synergy between interventions inpoverty reduction and results in otherthematic and cross-cutting areas in order tosupport the government in creating thenecessary synergies between povertyreduction, job creation, educational reform,vocational training, strengthening of theprivate sector and deepening partnershipswith government; strengthen linkages withthe cross-cutting issues of youth and gender;

� Support and strengthen the capacity of thegovernment and NGOs in accurate analysis ofcauses and consequences of patterns of povertyand unemployment so as to guide interventions;

� Strengthen capacity at community-levelNGOs and CSOs in order to design andimplement projects. Support NGOs andCSOs in linking poverty reductions projectsand interventions with interventions in

environmental protection, conservation andmanagement, as in the case of, for example,poverty reduction and job creation throughthe promotion of eco-diversity. UNDP canalso help strengthen engagement betweenthe Government of Jordan, NGOs, CSOsand the private sector in order to encouragepartnerships between SMEs and the govern-ment in order to prepare a legal andeconomic framework for expanding SMEs;

� Build exit strategies and long-term sustainabilityinto project design. For example, link capacity-building or training of community membersor CSO staff to long-term institutionaldevelopment and sustainability; integrateleveraging of other donor resources, includinggovernment, in order to foster nationalownership, continuity and replication; and

� Support the government’s economic liberal-ization and reform in order to incorporateattention to benefits and drawbacks of QIZsand other economic initiatives, by addressingspecific legislative, economic, social andenvironmental needs and priorities in this sector,paying particular attention to incorporatinggender issues and patterns of employment,and commitment to human rights.

Environmental sustainabilitySuccessfully leveraging GEF funding has enabledUNDP Jordan to increase its entry points in thefield of environmental protection and conservation,and to build on its institutional advantage as acatalyst and facilitator of development in thisarea. Strategically identifying and selecting entrypoints in this thematic area requires attention tointerventions that are most effective in achievingintended outcomes in relation to the investmentof funds and personnel.


� Strengthen policy dialogue, advocacy andsupport to the Government of Jordan, inorder to raise the priority of an area that hashad minimal government cost-sharing todate, but which has distinct implications forlong-term sustainability of current initiatives;



� Support the government in ensuring moreeffective cooperation between relevantcentral government ministries—in particular,the Ministry of Energy and MineralResources, including its National EnergyResearch Centre—and government agenciesat the governorate and municipal levels;

� Strengthen efforts within the UNDPprogramme and at government and non-governmental levels to adopt a more holisticapproach to creating synergies amongenvironment-related interventions implementedby various UN agencies and bilateral donors inJordan, as well as between and across thematicareas. This would require demonstrating,in small-scale or pilot projects at thedownstream level, the results of a holisticapproach to interventions in support ofenvironmental sustainability and humandevelopment, such as in capacity-buildinginitiatives as a means of tackling poverty;

� Strengthen support to national efforts tomainstream environmental protection intoeconomic and political legislation aimed atpromoting economic liberalization andstrengthening the role of the private sector

in economic development. UNDP shouldleverage its capacity in communication,outreach and advocacy to work with governmentagencies and non-governmental stakeholdersin promoting citizen awareness, commitmentand participation in environmental protectionand the long-term behavioural change neededin this area. UNDP projects should alsoincorporate attention to and participation ofdiverse population segments, especially womenand youth, to strengthen community organi-zations to implement projects that directlybenefit each community’s residents;

� Support and strengthen the attention ofrelevant stakeholders to effectively linkingnational efforts in order to address the watercrisis with interventions in support ofbiodiversity and development of alternativeenergy sources, such as biogas; assist nationalwater authorities in developing strategicallycoherent approaches to environmentalsustainability; and

� Support the government and non-govern-mental sectors in mainstreaming environ-mental protection issues into the implemen-tation of the national tourism strategy.


A N N E X I . T E R M S O F R E F E R E N C E 8 3

1. BACKGROUND

The Evaluation Office (EO) of the UnitedNations Development Programme (UNDP)launched a series of country programme evalua-tions, called Assessments of DevelopmentResults (ADRs), in order to capture anddemonstrate evaluative evidence of UNDPcontributions to development results at thecountry level. Undertaken in selected countries,the ADRs focus on outcomes, critically examineachievements and constraints in the UNDPthematic areas of focus, draw lessons learned andprovide recommendations for the future. TheADRs also recommend strategies for enhancingperformance and strategically positioning UNDPsupport within national development prioritiesand UNDP corporate policy directions. Theoverall goals of the ADRs are to:

1. Support the Administrator’s substantiveaccountability to the Executive Board andserve as a vehicle for quality assurance ofUNDP interventions at the country level;

2. Generate lessons from experience to informcurrent and future programming at thecountry and corporate levels; and

3. Provide stakeholders in the programmecountry with an objective assessment ofresults (specifically outcomes) that have beenachieved through UNDP support andpartnerships with other key actors for a givenmulti-year period.

An Assessment of Development Results isplanned for Jordan beginning February 2006. Itwill focus primarily on the current CountryProgramme (2003–2007), but will endeavour tocapture results achieved over the past five toseven years. It will, therefore, refer to the previousCountry Cooperation Framework (CCF) as relevant.

A scoping mission is scheduled for 19–25 March2006. The scoping mission will assess the evalua-bility of different programme components andexplore the expected scope of the mission within-country stakeholders, with whom an entry-level workshop will be held. At the end of thescoping mission, the Terms of Reference (TOR)for the ADR will be fine-tuned and areas ofmajor focus determined. The main evaluationmission is tentatively scheduled for 17 April to 4May 2006. These TOR detail the specificexpectations from the team leader and should beread in conjunction with the TOR for the ADRas a whole when these have been finalized.

2. SCOPE OF THE ADR

The evaluation will include a comprehensivereview of the UNDP programme portfolio andactivities during the period under review, with amore in-depth focus within the ongoing countryprogramme’s themes of governance, communitydevelopment and the environment. The evaluationwill aim to ascertain whether there is evidencethat the development cooperation of UNDP ismaking a real difference to development results.Specifically, the ADR will cover the following:

A. STRATEGIC POSITIONING

� Ascertain the strategic focus of UNDP supportand its relevance to national developmentpriorities, including relevance and linkageswith the overarching goal of reducingpoverty and achieving the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs). This mayinclude an analysis of the perceived comparativestrengths of the programme and a review of themajor development challenges facing the country.

� Assess how UNDP anticipated and respondedto significant changes in the national develop-

Annex I

TERMS OF REFERENCEASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT RESULTS - JORDAN


A N N E X I . T E R M S O F R E F E R E N C E8 4

ment context within its core areas of focus. Inthis regard, the ADR may consider, for example:key political and other events that influencethe development environment; risk manage-ment of UNDP; any missed opportunities forUNDP involvement; its efforts at advocacyand policy advice; and its responsiveness.

� Review the synergies and alignment ofUNDP support with other initiatives andpartners, including with the United NationsDevelopment Assistance Framework (UNDAF),the Global Cooperation Framework (GCF) andthe Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF).

� Consider the influence of systemic issues,such as policy and administrative constraintsaffecting the programme on both the donorand programme country sides, as well as howthe development results achieved and thepartnerships established have contributed toensuring a relevant and strategic positioningof UNDP support.

B. DEVELOPMENT RESULTS

� Examine the effectiveness and sustainabilityof the UNDP programme by: (a) highlightingthe main achievements and development results(outcomes) at the national level and UNDPcontribution to these in terms of key outputsin the last seven years or so; (b) ascertainingcurrent progress made in achieving outcomesin the given thematic areas of UNDPsupport; and (c) evaluating performance againstintended results. While making the best useof information in hand, the evaluation shouldbe rigorous in terms of documenting achieve-ments against stated intended outcomes andin terms of establishing linkages betweenactivities, outputs and outcomes. The evalua-tion should qualify the UNDP contributionto outcomes with a reasonable degree ofplausibility. It should cover anticipated,unanticipated, positive and negative outcomes.It should also gauge the contribution tonational capacity development, the degree ofnational ownership and the sustainability ofthese results. The assessment will cover thekey results and support in all thematic areas.

� Identify and analyse the main factorsinfluencing results, including UNDPpositioning and partnership strategy, therange and quality of its partnerships andtheir contribution to outcomes, the provisionof upstream assistance and policy advice.

� Analyse the thematic areas selected for in-depthfocus during the scoping mission. These themesare tentatively anticipated to cover aspects ofgovernance, community development andthe environment, reflecting notable UNDPinvolvement in these areas in the past, theirinter-linkages and synergies with other areasof UNDP intervention and the challengesexpected in Jordan’s future development.

� Assess, for each thematic area, the actual andanticipated progress in achieving intendedoutcomes, against the benchmarks andindicators set under UNDP strategic plans andin the country programme, and whererelevant, against MDG targets; identify thekey challenges and strategies for futureinterventions in each area.

C. LESSONS LEARNED AND GOOD PRACTICES

� Identify key lessons—from both intendedand unintended results, in the thematic areasof focus and from UNDP strategic position-ing—that can provide a useful basis forstrengthening UNDP support to Jordan andfor improving programme performance,results and effectiveness in the future.

� Identify good practices for learning forpossible replication both in Jordan andelsewhere, and prepare one or more goodpractice briefs covering important lessonsfrom the evaluation that can be passed ontoothers in one to two pages. These briefsshould be annexed to the main report.

3. TEAM COMPOSITION

The composition of the evaluation team will beguided by the UNDP Evaluation Policy, reflectits required independence and expectations fromthe evaluation, including its focus on substantiveresults. UNDP Evaluation Office will select theTeam Leader and all team members.


A N N E X I I . L I S T O F P E O P L E C O N S U L T E D 8 5

GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN

Ms. Jihan Abu Tayeh, Director, Ministry ofPanning and International Cooperation

H.E. Mr. Khlaif Al Khawaldeh, SecretaryGeneral, Ministry of Public Sector Reform

Mr. Muhammad Arabiat, Officer-in-Charge,Department of Statistics

H.E. Prince Mer’ed Bin Raed, Head, NationalCentre of De-mining and Rehabilitation

Mr. Fares Junidi, Secretary General, Ministry of Environment

Dr. Hammad Kasasbeh, Secretary General,Ministry of Finance

Dr. Kamal Khdeir, Global Environment FacilityFocal Point, Ministry of Planning andInternational Cooperation

H.E. Mr. Maher Madadha, Secretary General,Ministry of Panning and InternationalCooperation

Mr. Ziad Obeidat, Director of Monitoring andEvaluation, Ministry of Panning andInternational Cooperation

PARLIAMENT

Mr. Rwaidah Ma’etah, Member of SenateMs. Laila Sharaf, Member of SenateH.E. Mr. Faiz Shawabkeh, Secretary General

DONORS

Ms. Fumiko Nohara, Second Secretary,Japan Embassy

Mr. Takeaki Sato, Resident Representative,Japan International Cooperation Agency

Ms. Isabel Wole, Second Secretary,German Embassy

Mr. Mohammad Yassin, Senior ProgrammeOfficer, United States Agency forInternational Development

Technical Advisers (3), European Union

CIVIL SOCIETY, MEDIA AND RESEARCH CENTRES

Mr. Falah Al Amoush, Director, Jordan Biogas Company

Ms. Rose Al-Issi Wazani, Representative,American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan ( JABA)

Mr. Iman Al Nimi, Deputy Director, Zenid and Johud

Ms. Amneh Al Zu’bi, Director, The JordanianWomen’s Union

Ms.Nuha Azru’I,Head,Arab Women OrganizationDr. Majid Fandi, Director of Plan Production

Department, National Centre for AgriculturalResearch and Technology Transfer

Dr. Ihsan Fathi, Dean of the Arts Faculty,Amman Al-Ahliah University

Dr. Saed Hamami, Director, Jordan LoanCommittee Corporation

Ms. Jenifer Hamarneh, Editor, The Jordan TimesDr. Odeh Jayyousi, Director, World

Conservation Union (IUCN)Mr. Malek Kabariti, President, National Energy

Research Centre Mr. Ibrahim Khadier, Director, Birdlife

International Regional Office, AmmanMr. Yehya Khaled, Acting Director, Royal

Society for the Conservation of NatureMs. Hala B. Lattouf, Executive Director, World

Links Arab Region, and former Head,Ministry of Planning and InternationalCooperation, Government of Jordan

Ms. Annie Medzaghopian, President, AlHussein Society for the Physically Challenged

Dr. Nizzal Armouti, Director, Centre forConsultations, Technical Services andStudies, Jordan University

Mr. Shafeeq Obeidat, Petra News AgencyDr. Ibrahim Saif, Director, Centre for

Strategic Studies

Annex II

LIST OF PEOPLE CONSULTED


A N N E X I I . L I S T O F P E O P L E C O N S U L T E D8 6

Mr. Mousa Shtawi, Head, Jordan Centre forSocial Research

Mr. Abdel Wahab Zughaaialt, Chief Editor, Al Rai

UNDP JORDAN

Ms. Areej Al-Nahhas, Finance AssociateMr. Bashir Abu Jamous, Programme AnalystMr. Firas Gharaibeh, Programme ManagerMs. Rania Hazou, Human Resource AssociateMs. Mona Hider, Deputy Resident RepresentativeMs. Christine McNab, Resident RepresentativeMs. Helena Naber, Programme AnalystMs. Hiba Sabanekh, Operations ManagerMs. Rania Tarazi, Programme Analyst

UNDP NATIONAL PROJECT MANAGERS

Mr. Hatem Ababneh, Jordan Biogas CompanyMr. Munir Al Adgham, Small Grants

Programme, Global Environment FacilityMr. Salah Al Hadid, Youth Project, Higher

Council for Youth and the National Youthand Sports Fund

Mr. Bashir Al Zou’bi, Income Tax ProjectMr. Hussein Badarin, Capacity for Greenhouse

Gas Emissions Inventory and Action Plansin response to UNFCCC CommunicationsObligations, Ministry of Environment

Ms. Sahar Barari, Biodiversity Strategy andAction Plan, Ministry of Environment

Mr. Nashat Hamidan, National ProjectCoordinator, Dibeen Nature ReserveProject, Royal Society for the Conservationof Nature

Mr. Lutfi Abu Hazeem, Property Tax ProjectMr. Hussein Huiasat, E-Accounting and

E-Procurement, Ministry of FinanceMr. Olaf Juergensen, United Nations Chief

Technical Advisor at the NationalCommittee for De-mining and Rehabilitation

Mr. Mazen Khalaf, EMPRETEC JordanMr. Nasser Khalaf, National Information and

Technology CentreMr. Muhammad Khasawneh, Ministry of

Planning and International Cooperation

Dr. Adnan Khdier, Integrated WasteManagement for the Olive Oil PressingIndustries in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan;Ministry of Environment

Mr. Ayman Murad, Ministry of HigherEducation and Scientific Research

Ms Nahida Saies, Balqa University

Mr. Kamal Saleh, Strengthening Poverty andSocial Statistics, Department of Statistics

Ms. Shama Sallam, Aqaba Special EconomicZone Association

Dr. Abdelhakiem Shibli, Ministry of Planningand International Cooperation

Ms. Janet Shourdoum, Support to theParliament Secretariat Project

Mr. Batir Wardam, Self-Assessment of National Capacity in Jordan for GlobalEnvironmental Management, NationalStrategy and Action Plan to CombatDesertification; Ministry of Environment

UNITED NATIONS

Ms. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Regional Director,United Nations Women’s Fund (UNIFEM)

Mr. A.M. Abu Nuwar, Director, Centre forStrategic Training for Arab States, UnitedNations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Mr. Mohd. Abu Al-Ruzz, Programme Officer,World Food Programme

Mr. Rob Breen, Representative, United NationsHigh Commissioner for Refugees

Ms. Maha Hamsi, Officer in Charge, UNICEF

Ms. Anjum R. Haque, Representative,United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization

Ms. Muna Idris, Assistant ResidentRepresentative, United Nations PopulationFund (UNFPA)

Mr. Marwan Kokash, Representative,World Food Programme

Mr. Koen Strons, Project Officer, UnitedNations Relief and Works Agency


A N N E X I I I . R E F E R E N C E S 8 7

Abu-Libdeh, S. (2006). Policy Watch/Peace WatchNo. 1120. Jordan Looks Inward: The HashemiteKingdom in the Wake of Zarqawi and theHamas-Israel Clash. The WashingtonInstitute for Near East Policy. 7 July.

Al-Ghazawi, Ziad (2004). Summary Report ofthe Findings of the Review of theUNDP/GEF Methane Capture andUtilization Demonstration Project inJordan. JOR/96/G31, p. 29.

Arab Regional Resource Centre on ViolenceAgainst Women. http://www.amanjordan.org

Centre for Defending Freedom of Journalists(no date). Purpose, CDFJ Objectives, TargetedGroups, Range of Work, Programmes andPartners, http://www.cdfj.org

Chatelard, G. (2004). Jordan: A Refugee Haven.European University Institute, RobertSchuman Centre for Advanced Studies.

Court, J., G. Hyden and K. Mease (2002).Governance Performance: The AggregatePicture. World Governance SurveyDiscussion Paper 3. November. UnitedNations University.

Court, J., G. Hyden and K. Mease (2002).TheJudiciary and Governance in 16 DevelopingCountries. World Governance SurveyDiscussion Paper 9. May. United NationsUniversity

Delegation of the European Commission inJordan (2003). Annual Report 2003.

Donor/Lender Consultation Group (DLCG)Jordan (2006). Technical Committee of theSub-Group on Social Development:Position Paper on Poverty Alleviation.

DLCG Jordan (2005). Sub-Group on Water:Position Paper on Capacity Building forMinistry of Environment.

DLCG Jordan (2005). Sub-Group on Water:Results of the Technical Committees.

DLCG Jordan (2004). Sub-Group on Water:Position Paper on Private SectorParticipation and Commercialization.

DLCG Jordan (no date). Sub-Group onEnvironment: Position Paper on HealthcareWaste Management.

DLCG Jordan (no date). Sub-Group on Water:Position Paper on Institutional Reform.

DLCG Jordan (various dates). Minutes ofDLCG Meetings.

Dutta, S., (2003). Mainstreaming Gender inEnergy Planning and Policies. UNESCAPProject on Capacity Building on Integrationof Energy and Rural DevelopmentPlanning. Background Paper for ExpertGroup Meeting June–July. United NationsDevelopment Programme and UnitedNations Economic and Social Commissionfor Asia and the Pacific.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (2006).Country Report Jordan. March.

Elbayar, K. (2005). ‘MGO Laws in SelectedArab States: Jordan’. International Journal ofNot-for-Profit Law, vol.7/4, September.

Ehsan, K., E.S Zaki and R. Khuri (2006).Jordan ADR Scoping Mission 16-20 April2006. Preliminary Findings: DebriefingNote. United Nations DevelopmentProgramme, Evaluation Office.

Esim, S., and M. Smith, eds. (2004). Gender andMigration in the Arab States:The Case of DomesticWorkers. International Labour Organization,Regional Bureau for Arab States. June.

Federation of International Trade Associations(2006). Jordan Country Profile: EconomicTrade Issues, http://www.fita.org/countries/economie.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the UnitedNations. FAOSTAT, http://faostat.fao.org/

Annex III

REFERENCES


A N N E X I I I . R E F E R E N C E S8 8

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Overseas Development Institute (2003). WorldGovernance Survey: Jordan.

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Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development(no date). Aims and OrganizationalStructure, http://www.zenid.org.jo

Tarif, Jalil. (no date). Corporate Governance inJordan. Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,Amman Stock Exchange.

Terminal Report for the Tripartite Review(1999). GEF Project: Final Consolidationand Conservation of Azraq Wetlands andDana Wild Lands by Royal Society forConservation of Nature (RSCN) to AddressNew Pressures. June 1997–December 1999.

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United Nations (2005). Mainstreaming HumanRights: The Human Rights-BasedApproach and the United Nations System.Desk Study prepared for UNESCO.

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United Nations Jordan (2002). CommonCountry Assessment Jordan.

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United Nations Country Team in Jordan (nodate). UN Media and CommunicationGroup in Jordan: Terms of Reference.

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UNDP (2006). Jordan: A Political andEconomic Overview. Draft, 14 March.Evaluation Office.

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UNDP (2006). Ledger of Approved ProjectBudgets for the Month of April 2006.Selection Sheet. 4 March.

UNDP (2006). Map of Millennium DevelopmentGoals: Status & Challenges for Jordan.

UNDP (2006). New Guidelines for the Resultsand Competency Assessment (RCA) System.

UNDP (2006). NHDR – A Tool for Programmingand Advocacy. Main Development NeedsIdentified in the Jordan NHDR 2004 andRelated Current and Possible Interventions byUNDP. UNDP Jordan.

UNDP (2006). UNDP Jordan Country OfficeWork Plan 2006. UNDP Jordan.

UNDP (2006). UNDP Cooperation in Jordan.11 April. UNDP Jordan.

UNDP (2005). En Route to Equality: A GenderReview of National MDG Reports.

UNDP (2005). Evaluation of UNDP’s RegionalCooperation Framework for the Arab States(2002-2005).

UNDP (2005). Human Development Report 2005.

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UNDP (2005). Partners Survey: Jordan.

UNDP (2005). UNDP Thematic Trust Fund. Energyand Environment for Sustainable Development.

UNDP (2004). 2004 MYFF Results:Gender Mainstreaming in the Arab StatesRegion. Draft.

UNDP (2004). Arab Human Development Report2004. Regional Bureau for Arab States.

UNDP (2004). Conservation of SoaringMigratory Birds in the Eastern Sector ofthe Africa-Eurasia Flyaway System (RiftValley and Red Sea Flyaways). ATLAS No. 00036073.



UNDP (2004). Conservation and SustainableUse of Biodiversity in Dibeen NatureReserve. JOR/02/G35 – ATLAS No.00013205.


UNDP (2004). Integrated Waste Managementfor the Olive Oil Pressing Industries inLebanon, Syria and Jordan. ATLAS No. 00040034.

UNDP (2004). Strengthening the Capacity ofGovernment and People to Act againstCorruption. JOR/03/004).

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UNDP (2003), Jordan Country Programme:Jordan Performance 2003.

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UNDP (2002). Jordan Country Review.Evaluation Office.

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UNDP (2001). Mission Report: Jordan –Country Office Re-Profiling.

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UNDP (1999). Support to Business Training forMicro and Small Enterprise. Project of theGovernment of Jordan. JOR/98/009/A/01/11.

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UNDP (no date). Water Harvesting in RuralAreas for Poverty Alleviation. ATLAS00040940.

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UNDP, GEF Small Grants Programme, andHuman Forum for Women’s Rights (2005).1001 and Beyond. Local Initiatives to Protectthe Global Environment: Local Initiatives inSustainable Development.

UNDP, Centre of Arab Women for Trainingand Research, and Arab Gulf Fund (2001).Arab Women’s Development Report 2001.Globalization and Gender: EconomicParticipation of Arab Women.

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United Nations Executive Board, UnitedNations Development Programme, andUnited Nations Population Fund (2005).UNDP Corporate Gender Strategy and ActionPlan. First regular session 2005, 20-28January, New York; item 4 of the provisionalagenda. Gender in UNDP.

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United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC)Jordan (2006). Annual Report 2005.

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United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID) (2006). USAID inJordan, http://jordan.usaid.gov

USAID (2005). USAID/Jordan Annual Report2005. June.

USAID (2003). USAID/Jordan Strategy 2004-2009: Gateway to the Future.Revised December.

USAID (no date). Jordan: Economic Performance Assessment.

University of Jordan (2005). Labour in Jordan.Centre for Strategic Studies, EconomicStudies Unit.

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy(2005). Policy Watch/Peace Watch No. 953.A Reform Initiative in Jordan: Trying to KeepPace with Iraqi and Palestinian Elections.

The Wall Street Journal and The HeritageFoundation (2006). 2007 Index ofEconomic Freedom.

World Bank (2006). Governance ResearchIndicator Country Snapshot (GRICS): Jordan.http://info.worldbank.org/governance

World Bank (2006). Jordan Data Profile.http://devdata.worldbank.org/external/CPProfile

World Bank (2005). The Economic Advancementof Women in Jordan: A Country GenderAssessment. Social and EconomicDevelopment Group/MENA, May.

World Bank (2004). Jordan: An Evaluation ofBank Assistance for Water Development andManagement. A Country AssistanceEvaluation. Operations EvaluationDepartment. Washington, D.C.

World Bank (2004) .Jordan: An Evaluation ofWorld Bank Assistance for Poverty Reduction,Health and Education. A Country AssistanceEvaluation. Operations EvaluationDepartment. Washington, D.C.

World Bank (1997). Measurement and Analysis ofPoverty in Jordan.

World Bank (no date). Decentralization inJordan, http://www.worldbank.org/mdf/mdf1/jordan/htm

World Health Organization (no date). CountryProfiles: Jordan, http://www.emro.who.int/emrinfo/index.asp?Ctry=jor

World Resources Institute (2003). EarthTrendsCountry Profile for Jordan. Themes:Agriculture and Food; Biodiversity andProtected Areas; Energy and Resources;Environmental Institutions and Governance;Population, Health and Human Well-Being; Water Resources and FreshwaterEcosystems. http://earthtrends.wri.org/gsearch.php?va=cp&kw=jordan&theme=0



World Summit on the Information Society(2005). Tunis Declaration. Tunis, 16-18November.Zaqqa, N. (2005), ‘SocialStabilization and the Migration of HumanCapital’. http://insecurityforum.org

BROCHURES

Arab Women Organization of Jordan (no date).Brochure on Aims and Activities.

Delegation of the European Commission inJordan (no date). ‘Sector Reform Facility.Promoting Jordan’s private sector develop-ment, investment and trade’. Brochure.

Delegation of the European Commission inJordan (no date). ‘The Programme onInstitutional Support to Aqaba SpecialEconomic Zone Authority (IS-ASEZA),Aqaba, Jordan’. Brochure.

Donor-Lender Consultation Groups (2006).‘Position Paper on Poverty Alleviation’.Prepared by Technical Committee of Sub-Group on Social Development. March.

Euro-Jordanian Action for Development ofEnterprise (EJADA). Brochure.

EUROPEAID Co-Operation Office andMEDA Water (no date). ‘EmpowerPartnership: A Stakeholder Dialogue forImproved Water Governance’. Brochure.

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany(2005). ‘German Institutions in Jordan’.

EURO-JORDAN (2006). ‘Newsline.Newsletter of the Delegation of theEuropean Commission to the HashemiteKingdom of Jordan.’ Vol.1/6, May.

Families Development Association (jam’iyyat al-usar al-tanmawiyyah al-khairiyyah) (nodate). ‘Brochure on Activities’. Arabic.

German Agency for Technical Cooperation(GTZ) in Jordan (no date). ‘JordanianWater Sector’.

GTZ Jordan (no date). ‘Partners in Development’.

GTZ Jordan (no date). ‘OperationsManagement Support Project to the WaterAuthority of Jordan’. Brochure.

GTZ Jordan (no date). ‘Poverty AlleviationThrough Municipal Development’.Brochure.

GTZ Jordan (no date). ‘Poverty AlleviationThrough Community DevelopmentProject’. Brochure.

GTZ Jordan (no date). ‘Water ResourceManagement in Irrigated Agriculture(WMIA)’. Brochure.

The Hashemite Kingdom of JordanDepartment of Statistics (no date). ‘Projectfor Improvement of Social and PovertyStatistics in DOS’. Arabic.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ministry ofFinance (2006). ‘Al-Wa’y Al-Daribi’ (TaxAwareness (Arabic). Newsletter, No. 16,March. Income and Sales Tax Department.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ministry ofFinance (2006). General GovernmentFinance Bulletin’. Studies & EconomicPolicies Directorate. Vol. 8/1, February.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ministry ofPlanning and International Cooperation(2006). ‘Towards Integrated Social Policies’(Arabic). Workshop Report.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ministry ofPlanning and International Cooperation(2005). Foreign Assistance to Jordan 2005.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ministry ofPlanning and International Cooperation (no date). ‘Millennium Development GoalsJordan’. Brochure.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan NationalCapacity Self Assessment for GlobalEnvironmental Management (no date).‘UNDP Efforts in the EnvironmentalSector in Jordan’. Brochure.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan NationalCommittee for Demining andRehabilitation (no date). ‘Jordan’s NationalMine Action Plan: Safeguarding Life &Promoting Development 2005–2009’.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan NationalLinkages Programme (no date). ‘Brochureon Aims and Activities’.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ministry ofAgriculture, Federal Republic of GermanyMinistry of Economic Cooperation andDevelopment, and German Agency forTechnical Cooperation (2004). ‘Jabal Al



Akhdar and Khsheibeh Women’sCooperative. A Case Study.’ Supported byPoverty Alleviation Through CommunityDevelopment Project.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and UnitedNations Development Programme (2006).’National Strategy and Action Plan toCombat Desertification’.

The Human Forum for Women’s Rights (nodate). Brochure on Aims and Activities.

The Human Forum for Women’s Rights (nodate). Al-Multaqa Newsletter.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (nodate). Brochure on Objectives and Activitiesin Jordan.

Jordan Innovation Centre, Euro-JordanianAction for Development of Enterprise, andEuropean Commission (2006). ‘A PracticalGuide to Wealth Creation. Proposal for anInnovation Policy for Jordan’.

Jordanian Women’s Union (no date). Brochureon Aims and Activities. Arabic.

Microfund for Women (no date). Leaflet onAims and Activities (Arabic).

National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR)(2006). ‘Al-Rissaleh’. Bulletin, No. 5,January 2006, Second Year Issue.

NCHR (2005). ‘Report on the Situation ofHuman Rights in the Hashemite Kingdomof Jordan’ (Arabic).

NCHR (no date) (al-markaz al-watani li hoquqal-insan). ‘Vision, Reality, Future’. PowerPoint Presentation.

United Nations Development Fund for Women(2004). Report of the Status of Jordanian

Women: Demography, Economic Participation,Political Participation and Violence. ArabStates Regional Office.

United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) (2006). ‘Assessment of GapsBetween Knowledge Skills AcquiredThrough Higher Education and LabourMarket Demands in Jordan’. StakeholderReport. March.

UNDP (no date). ‘Partner for a Better Future’.Brochure. UNDP Jordan.

UNDP and Global Environment Facility (nodate). ‘Small Grants Programme Guide’.Arabic. Small Grants Programme.

UNDP, Global Environment Facility, andHuman Forum for Human Rights (2005).101 and Beyond. Local Initiatives to Protectthe Global; Environment. Local Initiatives inSustainable Development. Small GrantsProgramme.

UNDP, Hashemite Kingdom of JordanMinistry of Environment, and GlobalEnvironment Facility (no date). ‘NationalPriority Capacity Constraints forImplementing the Rio Conventions andtheir Synergies’. National Capacity Self-Assessment for Global EnvironmentalManagement.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (nodate). Brochure on Mandate and Activities.

UNFPA (no date). ‘The Y-Peer Network’.Brochure.

United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (no date). ‘USAID in Jordan’. Brochure.


A N N E X I V . U N D P A N D O T H E R F I N A N C I A L A L L O C A T I O N S I N J O R D A N 9 7

FINANCIAL DATA OF MAJOR DONORS

German Agency for Technical Cooperation(GTZ): The German government has providedJordan with more than one billion Euro since1974. This includes more than 200 million Euroin technical assistance. Annual budget figures arenot available on the Internet.

GTZ is the German executing agency fortechnical cooperation. It disperses funds asallocated by the Federal Ministry for EconomicCooperation and Development to specific projectsupon request of partner governments. Dependingon the type of programme, GTZ typically hasdirect links with developing country NGOs.

United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID): In recent years, theUnited States has been leading all donors ofofficial development assistance to Jordan. Totaleconomic assistance provided to Jordan since1997 exceeds $2.6 billion. Annual budgetbreakdowns are available (see Table A1). Jordan

is among the five largest recipients of USAIDfunds globally.

Japan International Cooperation Agency:Japan is the third largest donor of officialdevelopment assistance. Japan’s aid to Jordan isclassified into three types: grant aid, loan aid, andtechnical cooperation. From 1974–1994, Japan’seconomic assistance amounts to $3 billion.

Jordan is a priority partner country for developmentcooperation for the top ten donors highlightedabove. Among these, USAID, Japan InternationalCooperation Agency and GTZ all indicate thatthe basic policies of their aid have been generallyconsistent with the development needs identifiedin Jordan’s national development plans.

The official development assistance data(including development grants and loans)provided by the Ministry of Planning andInternational Cooperation indicates that thevolume of assistance as an absolute value hasremained at more or less the same level since

Annex IV

UNDP AND OTHER FINANCIAL ALLOCATIONS IN JORDAN

Sector 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total

Water $63,500.00 $60,000.00 $60,000.00 $83,000.00 $44,000.00 $48,000.00 $41,500.00 $400,000.00

Health $7,600.00 $10,000.00 $15,000.00 $20,000.00 $18,000.00 $25,000.00 $25,000.00 $120,600.00

Education $1,500.00 $3,700.00 $5,200.00

Governance $500.00 $3,000.00 $3,500.00

EconomicOpportunities

$5,000.00 $20,000.00 $25,000.00 $47,000.00 $38,000.00 $39,200.00 $30,300.00 $204,500.00

Cash Transfer $50,000.00 $50,000.00 $100,000.00 $50,000.00 $50,000.00 $125,000.00 $144,000.00 $569,000.00

EmergencySupplemental

$700,000.00 $700,000.00

Total $126,100.00 $140,000.00 $200,000.00 $200,000.00 $150,000.00 $239,200.00 $947,500.00 $2,002,800.00

Table A1. Recent USAID Assistance to Jordan by Sector:Fiscal Year 1997 – Fiscal Year 2003 (US$ Thousands)

Source: http://www.usaidjordan.org/budget.cfm


9 8

1994. The composition of assistance, however,shifted in favour of grants. In fact, grants as apercentage of aid increased from 22 percent in1994 to 66 percent in 2002. The amount of

official development assistance as a percentage ofgross national income increased significantly in2003–2004, as donors increased their funding inorder to assist Jordan in its recovery fromrecession, following the Iraq War.

As stated earlier, the United States of Americahas become the top official developmentassistance donor in recent years (see Table A2). In2003–2004 it was the leading donor by a signifi-cant margin. The composition of donors hasshifted from 1990–1999, when the InternationalBank for Reconstruction and Development andthe European Communities/European Union werethe top two donors.

BUDGET OF UNDP JORDAN FOR THE TWO PROGRAMME CYCLES(1998–2002 AND 2003–2007)

In the first programme cycle (1998–2002), theannual programming budget amounted toapproximately $3.8 million. During this five-yearperiod, environment programmes were allocatedapproximately 47 percent of funding, governance35 percent and social/poverty programmes 18 percent.

Source: http://www.usaidjordan.org/budget.cfm

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Bank,http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/62/52/1877974.gif

Figure A1. Funding Levels: 1997–2005

1,000

800

600

400

200

01997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

US$

Mill

ion

s� Regular budget� Supplemental

Donor Amount (US$ Millions)

1. United States of America 368

2. UNRWA 96

3. Japan 65

4. EC 57

5. Germany 42

6. Israel 19

7. Italy 15

8. Arab Countries 11

9. France 9

10. Canada 7

Table A2. Top Ten Donors of Gross ODA(2004-05 average)

A N N E X I V . U N D P A N D O T H E R F I N A N C I A L A L L O C A T I O N S I N J O R D A N


In the second programme cycle (2003–2007),the annual programming budget increased toapproximately $4.6 million. Governanceprogrammes were allocated the largest share,approximately 56 percent of funding during thiscycle (a significant increase), environmentdecreased to 26 percent, and poverty programmes

remained relatively steady at 18 percent of the budget. In both programming cycles,government cost-sharing and third-partyfunding provided approximately 48 percent ofthe funding resources. The other non-corecategory funded about 37 percent and Core Tracfunding provided nearly 15 percent.

A N N E X I V . U N D P A N D O T H E R F I N A N C I A L A L L O C A T I O N S I N J O R D A N 9 9

Source: UNDP Jordan Programme Budgets, 2006


Figure A2. Percentages of Funding Sources

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Core Trac 1, 2, 3 Government and Third-

Party Cost-SharingOther Non-Core TrustFunds, Thematic Trust

Funds, GEF

Per

cen

tag

e (%

)

� 2003–2007� 1998–2002

ProgrammeCycle

ThematicArea

Core Trac1,2 and 3

Govern-ment andThird-PartyCost-Sharing

Other Non-CoreTrust Funds,ThematicTrust Funds,GEF

TotalBudget

Percentageof Budget

2003–2007 Governance $1,422,644 $8,642,912 $2,872,762 $12,938,318 56%

Poverty $476,393 $3,240,417 $586,678 $4,303,488 18%

Environment $425,933 $29,443 $5,509,333 $5,964,709 26%

Total $2,324,970 $11,912,772 $8,968,773 $23,206,515 100%

1998–2002 Governance $1,629,638 $4,837,970 $214,548 $6,682,156 35%

Social $1,291,815 1,891,686 $263,839 $3,447,340 18%

Environment $231,271 $2,011,639 $6,737,829 $8,980,739 47%

Total $3,152,724 $8,741,295 $7,216,216 $19,110,235 100%

Table A3. Sources of Funding by Programme Cycle and Thematic Area


A N N E X I V . U N D P A N D O T H E R F I N A N C I A L A L L O C A T I O N S I N J O R D A N1 0 0

ProgrammeCycle

FundingSource

Thematic Area RC andDepartmentof Safety andSecurity

FundingSource Total

FundingSourceBudget byPercentage

Governance Poverty/Social

Environment

2003–2007 Core Trac 1, 2 and 3

$1,422,644.00 $476,393.00 $425,933.00 $736,735.00 $3,061,705.00 13%

Governmentand Third-Party Cost-Sharing

$8,642,912.00 $3,240,417.00 $29,443.00 $75,100.00 $11,987,872.00 50%

Other Non-Core TrustFund, ThematicTrust Fund, GEF

$2,872,762.00 $586,678.00 $5,509,333.00 $0.00 $8,968,773.00 37%

ProgrammeBudget Total

$12,938,318.00 $4,303,488.00 $5,964,709.00 $811,835.00 $24,018,350.00

ProgrammeBudgetPercentages

54% 18% 25% 3%

1998–2002 Core Trac 1, 2 and 3

$1,629,638.00 $1,291,815.00 $231,271.00 $3,152,724.00 16%

Governmentand Third-Party Cost-Sharing

$4,837,970.00 1,891,686 $2,011,639.00 $8,741,295.00 46%

Other Non-Core TrustFund, ThematicTrust Fund, GEF

$214,548.00 $263,839.00 $6,737,829.00 $7,216,216.00 38%

ProgrammeBudget Total

$6,682,156.00 $3,447,340.00 $8,980,739.00 $19,110,235.00

ProgrammeBudgetPercentages

35% 18% 47%


Table A4. CPO Financial Allocations by TRAC, 2003–2007


HUMAN DEVELOPMENT effectiveness COORDINATIefficiency COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP sust


AN DEVELOPMENT responsiveness NATIONAL OWNNATIONAL OWNERSHIP effectiveness COORDINATIefficiency COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP sust


HUMAN DEVELOPMENT effectiveness COORDINATI

United Nations Development ProgrammeEvaluation OfficeOne United Nations PlazaNew York, NY 10017, USATel. (212) 906 5059, Fax (212) 906 6008Internet: http://www.undp.org/eo


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