The Impact of Living Arrangements (In-Camp versus Out-of-Camp) on the Quality of Life : A Case Study of Syrian Refugees in Jordan
Refugee camps are believed to represent safe havens for forcibly displaced persons, but studies looking at refugees' quality of life in camps are few. This paper explores how Syrian refugees’ quality of life in camps in Jordan differs from tha...
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Format: | Working Paper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2021
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Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/108131612296093008/The-Impact-of-Living-Arrangements-In-Camp-versus-Out-of-Camp-on-the-Quality-of-Life-A-Case-Study-of-Syrian-Refugees-in-Jordan http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35106 |
Summary: | Refugee camps are believed to represent
safe havens for forcibly displaced persons, but studies
looking at refugees' quality of life in camps are few.
This paper explores how Syrian refugees’ quality of life in
camps in Jordan differs from that of Syrian refugees
residing outside camps. Using data from the Syrian Refugee
and Host Community Survey, the study measures life quality
through indicators of subjective life experience and
material living conditions. Data are analyzed using advanced
statistical methods (difference-in-difference and propensity
score matching) to control for selection bias that could
skew estimates of causal effects. The results show that
refugees living outside camps enjoy a higher quality of life
than those living in camps. Out-of-camp refugees are less
likely to live below the national abject poverty line or in
overcrowded houses. They possess more household assets, are
more satisfied with access to services, and report higher
life satisfaction. Refugee camps appear to serve as safe
havens for refugees who lack the capability to exit camps,
and camps could be redundant for those who possess adequate
capabilities and freedom to function in the urban and
peri-urban areas. |
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