AMMAN — Nearly 4.7 million children under the age of 18 live in Jordan, accounting for 40 per cent of the population, according to 2024 estimates released Wednesday by the Department of Statistics (DoS).

 

The DoS figures, published to mark World Children’s Day, show that 51.4 per cent of children are male and 48.6 per cent are female.

 

The department cited data from the 2023 Population and Family Health Survey, which found that 99.7 per cent of children under five had their births registered with the Civil Status and Passports Department. The survey also reported that 91.9 per cent of children live with both parents, while 2.8 per cent live with only one parent or have lost both.

 

The survey pointed to continued improvements in maternal and child health. It showed that 97 per cent of pregnant women received antenatal care from a qualified health professional.

 

Neonatal mortality fell from 14 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2012 to 9 in 2023. Infant mortality also declined, dropping from 17 to 14 per 1,000 live births over the same period, while under-five mortality decreased from 21 to 15 per 1,000.

 

The proportion of newborns with low birth weight reached 15 per cent in 2023, down from 16.7 per cent in 2017–2018. Stunting among children under five declined from 12 per cent in 2002 to 8 per cent in 2023.

 

Malnutrition affected 11.1 per cent of children under five, according to the survey, while wasting was recorded at 2.3 per cent. Overweight prevalence in this age group reached 8.8 per cent.

 

Jordan has also seen progress in education.

 

Kindergarten enrolment increased from 36.9 per cent in the 2021–2022 academic year to 39.2 per cent in 2023–2024. Basic education enrolment rose slightly from 94.5 per cent to 94.9 per cent, and secondary enrolment inched up from 77 per cent to 77.9 per cent over the same period.

 

The survey found that 84 per cent of children aged 24–59 months are on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being. Girls scored higher at 85.9 per cent compared with 82.4 per cent for boys.

 

Immunisation coverage also improved. The share of children aged 12–23 months who received all basic vaccines rose to 92 per cent in 2023, up from 86 per cent in 2017–2018. Measles vaccine coverage increased to 94.3 per cent, compared with 88 per cent during the earlier period.