As the world reflected on the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is calling attention to the alarming strain on maternal and newborn health services in Za’atari Refugee Camp.
With a quarter of the camp’s 70,000 residents being women of reproductive age, a funding crisis is threatening access to essential care for thousands of mothers and newborns.
The IRC’s health clinic, one of just six remaining fully operational clinics in the camp, is working to bridge the gap. In partnership with Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), the IRC aims to support over 23,000 Syrian refugees this year through comprehensive primary, maternal, and reproductive health services. From March to December 2024, the clinic delivered over 33,000 consultations, including more than 1,300 antenatal care visits and 2,400 family planning services.
Riham Al-Nabulsi, a 26-year-old pregnant woman in Za’atari who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, says,
“This program opened my eyes. The care I received reassured me during one of the scariest times in my life. The doctors helped me manage my condition, stay calm, and feel ready to bring my baby into the world.”
But despite these efforts, health services across the camp have shrunk by 30% in recent years due to dwindling international funding. In 2020, six clinics operated across Za’atari’s 12 districts. Today, the IRC’s facility is one of the few still able to provide lifesaving care. The impact is deeply felt in maternal care: 35% of births among Syrian refugees are cesarean deliveries—higher than Jordan’s national average and far above WHO’s recommended rate—yet all such cases must be referred outside the camp, often with long delays.
Child marriage, a prevalent issue in Za’atari, compounds the risks. A recent IRC study that was conducted between April and June 2024 with 425 women aged 18–49 in Za’atari and Azraq camps who had accessed IRC health services in the past three years, found that over 43% of women in the camp were married before the age of 18. These adolescent pregnancies, combined with a high burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension, increase the likelihood of complications during childbirth.
Hussam Al-Momani, IRC’s Health Manager in Jordan, says: “Our services are designed to support women through every step—before, during, and after childbirth. We’re seeing more women with complex needs—young mothers, high-risk pregnancies, and cases complicated by chronic illnesses. Without sufficient funding, it’s becoming harder to meet rising needs. Health is a right, not a luxury—and it must be treated as such. No mother should have to fear childbirth because the system meant to protect her has broken down.”
Funding to support Syrian refugees across the region continues to fall year on year. With the Jordan Response Plan for the Syria crisis receiving just 7% of its $2 billion funding target last year, leaving health providers overstretched and many refugee families without access to affordable care. The strain is not only on humanitarian organizations, but on Jordan’s public health system as well, which is now being forced to absorb more patients from underserved refugee communities.
Without proper funding, women will have to travel long distances, wait longer for specialist referrals, or even forego treatment altogether. This is especially dangerous in emergencies such as complicated labor, postpartum infections, or untreated gestational diabetes. For newborns, delayed vaccinations and lack of neonatal care increase risks of preventable illness and death.
Riham adds, “I want the world to know that proper healthcare during pregnancy can prevent so many problems. Mothers and babies deserve more.”
The IRC is calling on the international community to urgently prioritize funding for maternal and newborn healthcare in Jordan’s refugee camps, and to close the growing gap in humanitarian support overall. Without renewed and sustained investment, essential services will continue to shrink, and thousands of lives, particularly those of women and children, will remain at risk.
