The Turkmen Community in Jordan
The Turkmen are a nomadic, traveling community found in many countries in the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey. They initially migrated from central Asia over hundreds of years from the 7th century AD, although some Turkmen migrated later during the Ottoman empire (GAGE, 2021b). Estimates place the population in Jordan at around 70,000 (Joshua Project, 2025), although estimates vary widely due to their high mobility within and between countries.
In Jordan, the Turkmen regularly move between Sahab/Amman, Irbid, Madaba, Zarqa, the Jordan Valley and other places. These frequent movements within Jordan and to and from countries present a barrier for enrolling and keeping children in school due to a lack of a permanent address.
The community’s native language is Turkmen, a dialect of Turkish that is close to Ottoman Turkish. As a result, another significant barrier for Turkmen accessing education and work is that many do not speak Arabic well. This perpetuates their lack of integration into schools and the work force, and further reduces their access to information about services that are available to them.
Many Turkmen adolescents are out of school and therefore become engaged in informal work, such as begging or selling small items in the streets, and subsequently frequently come into contact with the law (GAGE, 2021b). Child marriage is also deeply intrenched in Turkmen culture, with girls and boys marrying at ages even as low as 12 or 13, although the marriage is not formalised until they become legally of age (UNICEF, 2016; GAGE, 2021a).
The Turkmen community mainly live in informal tented settlements that lack adequate WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities, electricity, shelter from the elements, and protection from threats. They are also regularly evicted, because they often settle on land that does not belong to them. These living conditions negatively impact the Turkmen’s health and psychosocial wellbeing as well as impede their acceptance and integration into Jordanian society.
In Jordanian society, negative stereotypes and stigmas surround the Turkmen community. This is exacerbated by the fact that Turkmen often do not have positive contacts or friendships outside of their community. This is especially true for many Turkmen females who do not work, further preventing engagement outside of their own community (GAGE, 2021a).
The Turkmen community in Jordan faces numerous problems such as a lack of access to basic services, health challenges, and societal marginalisation. Dar At-Ta’awun aims to provide creative and practical solutions to social challenges related to these isolated and underserved communities. Click on the links to find out more about our community center and community projects.
References:
Devonald, M., Jones, N., Małachowska, A., Alheiwidi, S., Al Amaireh, W., Alshammari, F. and Shareef, Q. (2021a) 'Empowering adolescents through an integrated programming approach: exploring the effects of UNICEF’s Makani programme on Dom adolescents’ well-being in Jordan'. Policy brief. London: Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE).
Devonald, M., Jones, N., Małachowska, A., Alheiwidi, S., Al Amaireh, W., Alshammari, F. and Shareef. Q. (2021b) ‘Exploring adolescent capabilities among the marginalised Dom community in Jordan’. Report. London: Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE).
Joshua Project. 2025. “Middle-Eastern Turkmen in Jordan”. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/21538/JO
UNICEF (2016) A Qualitative Report on Children from Marginalized Jordanian Minority Groups. Jordan: UNICEF Jordan.
Who are the Turkmen?
Dar At-Ta'awun
House of Solidarity
CONTACT
Connect
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Unto one united Jordanian society.