UN-Habitat Jordan has implemented one public space project in Zarqa in collaboration with Zarqa Municipality to enhance social cohesion between local communities and refugees. Currently, the programme is implementing another three public space projects in Amman, Zarqa and Ghor Al Safi in collaboration with Greater Amman Municipality, the Housing and Urban development Corporation (HUDC) and Municipality of Ghor Al Safi. These projects are implemented in collaboration and with the support of Global Public Space Programme at UN-Habitat Headquarter. The development of green public space in Jordan is a priority at the government level. While there are already limited public spaces in Jordan, the COVID-19 outbreak further emphasized the lack of green public spaces that are accessible in many neighbourhoods across the municipalities. Research by Gehl emphasizes the essential role public spaces play in a pandemic and concluded that there is a need to redefine, adapt, and amplify the current role of public space. In Ghor Al Safi, one of the targeted area, there is an absence of parks. In response to this, the mayor of the Southern Al-Aghwar Municipality contacted Zaha Cultural Centre, a local NGO and our partners in this intervention, and requested their support in the rehabilitation of an open space and an old building to convert them into a community centre and a green public space that serves the local community. Accordingly, public space projects simultaneously encompasses social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
DUTIES RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTED OUTPUT
Under the supervision of UN-Habitat Jordan National Programme Coordinator, the JPOwill be responsible for supporting the implementation of the three public space projects and coordinating with different stakeholders. The JPO will be based in Jordan during project activities requiring her/his physical presence for execution of activities that require that, with frequent travel to concerned municipalities and project’s sites. He/She should be committed to the delivery on time of project tasks for the whole period of the project. The JPO is expected to perform for the following duties:
• Provide technical support for management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of UN-Habitat’s projects in Jordan.
• Assist with the development and management of projects related to public spaces and other urban-related issues.
• Plan and conduct field missions to Amman, Zarqa and Ghor Al Safi in Jordan to monitor the progress of projects and activities and liaise with the government counterparts as well as beneficiary community members to ensure effective project implementation.
• Organize participatory workshops on the designing of the public spaces.