Education
The UNESCO Amman office works to enhance access to quality education across Jordan and strives to promote education as a fundamental human right. UNESCO has been working closely with national entities to sustain resilience and mitigate the impact of the Syria crisis. UNESCO works to support and strengthen the national education system to effectively provide education services across the Kingdom.
Science
Since 2014, due to a shortage of resources, UNESCO’s science program in Jordan has been temporarily suspended. However, as science is interconnected with the other sectors, UNESCO engages in the scientific arena supporting a knowledge society through education; retrieving ancient processes to dye fabrics naturally; and protecting the World Heritage Site of Petra with a Disaster Risk Reduction approach. Thanks to its multi-sectoral expertise, the Amman office was actively involved in and contributed to the preparation of the first World Science Forum in the Arab Region, held in Jordan in November 2017, organizing a side event and a thematic session.
Culture
The UNESCO Amman office provides technical assistance to the authorities in safeguarding tangible cultural heritage and protecting sites inscribed on the World Heritage List through actions leading to their improved management and conservation in line with the World Heritage Convention. As part of this approach, UNESCO has been implementing disaster risk reduction strategies for the protection of the 'Siq' of Petra and working collaboratively with the Department of Antiquities and the Petra Development and Tourism Regional Authority for the development of an integrated management plan for the World Heritage Site of Petra.
UNESCO is supporting disadvantaged rural women in Jordan to improve their livelihoods through an innovative formula that combines the promotion of cultural industries like natural dyes and traditional handicraft production with the creation of job opportunities, through a lens of gender equality. In line with the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and in collaboration with Jordan’s Ministry of Culture, local authorities have been supported to enhance the safeguarding of cultural heritage, raising awareness in local communities and training the relevant stakeholders in collection and archival techniques. In line with the framework of the "Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural property”, the UNESCO Amman office and the Department of Antiquities have joined forces to address the illicit trafficking of cultural items.
Communication and Information
UNESCO promotes the advancement of public access to information, the safety of journalists, youth and gender equality in and through media, diversity and plurality in media, improved professional standards and the empowerment of people with media and information literacy. Specifically, UNESCO is working to support national efforts in advancing Jordanian media to further increase its freedom, independence and professionalism. The Office is also working to empower citizens through enhanced media and information literacy (MIL) and striving to strengthen the capacity of community radio stations while promoting women’s engagement in media practices.
UNESCO is supporting the judiciary in its role of protecting and ensuring an environment conducive to freedom of expression, access to information and other fundamental freedoms.