Urban Community Development With a Focus on the Status of Children in Exceptionally Difficult Circumstances

This paper is a report of phase 1 of the project ‘Children in exceptionally difficult circumstances’ in Amman, Jordan which sought to investigate and characterise the problems confronted by children, the potential role of individuals, families, community and supporting institutions; and the creation of local, informal, voluntary committees who are capable of beginning a process of change. The study found that children in poor urban settlements in Amman face problems that range from leaving school at an early age to violent abuse, both sexual and non-sexual. However, the concern that communities and families have for their children and the fact that most children come from intact homes means that there’s potential to improve the situation. Hence, it is of vital importance to stimulate purposeful voluntary actions in the local community and then support such action within appropriate institutional frameworks.

A physical copy is available in the Participatory Resource Centre at the Institute of Development Studies.