Jordan is a member of several regional governmental organizations that play a role in regional cooperation on migration, asylum and refugee-related issues.

1. The League of Arab States (LAS)

Jordan is a founding member of the League of Arab States (LAS), established in 1945.

The Arab Convention on Regulating Status of Refugees in the Arab Countries (1994) was adopted under LAS but has not been widely ratified, including by Jordan.

Jordan has ratified a number of international conventions, including key human rights treaties.In the Jordanian legal system, international treaties and conventions do not automatically become part of domestic law upon ratification. Instead, they must be incorporated through national legislation

Jordan is a unitary constitutional monarchy. Executive authority is exercised through the Council of Ministers, led by the Prime Minister, in accordance with the Constitution. Legislative authority is vested in the bicameral National Assembly, which consists of the Senate (Majlis Al-Ayan) and the House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwaab). Judicial authority is exercised by independent courts. Administratively, Jordan is divided into twelve governorates. While local councils perform certain administrative functions, political decision-making and legislative authority remain largely centralized at the national level.

Jordan’s legal system is based on the Constitution and comprises civil, criminal, and religious legal frameworks. Civil and criminal matters are generally governed by statutory law and adjudicated by civil courts, while certain personal status matters, including marriage, divorce, inheritance, and family law, fall within the jurisdiction of Sharia and ecclesiastical courts

The Constitution of Jordan establishes the judiciary as one of three separate and independent branches of government, alongside the executive and the legislature.

The Constitution of Jordan establishes the judiciary as one of three separate and independent branches of government, alongside the executive and the legislature. Jordan's legal system is based on the Constitution, the Court Establishment Law of 1951, and civil and criminal codes, with Islamic and ecclesiastical law applying in certain matters.

Jordan has three main types of courts: civil, military and religious. Civil courts hear all civil and criminal cases not specifically reserved for another court and operate at four levels. The Magistrate's Courts are the lowest level, where a single judge hears minor civil and criminal matters. The Courts of First Instance hear more serious criminal and civil cases, as well as appeals in minor criminal cases. The Courts of Appeal hear appeals from the lower courts in three-judge panels. The Court of Cassation serves as Jordan's Supreme Court and hears final appeals in felony cases and major civil cases. Personal status matters fall under religious courts. For Muslims, Sharia law applies and a dedicated Sharia court system decides these cases, so there is no civil marriage or divorce in Jordan. A separate military court system also exists. Public prosecution is led by the Attorney General, who supervises all public prosecutors, while the Chief Attorney General represents the government before the Court of Cassation.

Access to justice is supported by the Ministry of Justice, which administers a state legal aid system and fund, and by the Jordanian Bar Association, which is mandated to provide legal aid to those who cannot afford a lawyer. However, state-guaranteed legal representation is largely limited to serious criminal cases. Non-governmental organisations such as the Justice Center for Legal Aid (JCLA), the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), and Tamkeen fill much of the remaining gap. They provide free legal counselling and representation, particularly in civil and family matters and for vulnerable groups including refugees. 

In Jordan, refugee affairs are managed through a centralized, multi-level administrative structure, working closely with UNHCR and other international organisations.

At the central level, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) is the main authority for refugee entry, residency and security. It issues MoI service cards to Syrian refugees living outside camps, giving them access to public services such as healthcare and education. The Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate (SRAD), under the MoI, manages the refugee camps. The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) coordinates the national refugee response and donor funding through the Jordan Response Plan. The Ministry of Justice oversees the administration of justice, including judicial processes involving refugees, while the Ministries of Labour, Education and Health regulate refugees' access to work permits, public schools and health services.

At the governorate level, governors under the MoI oversee security and the implementation of refugee policies in their regions, supported by the police. At the local level, municipalities provide basic services such as waste management and infrastructure in areas hosting large refugee populations, while camps such as Za'atari and Azraq are administered by SRAD in cooperation with UNHCR.

Although Jordan is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, UNHCR registers refugees and issues documentation under a 1998 Memorandum of Understanding with the Government. UNHCR works with national authorities and NGOs on protection, legal aid, resettlement and humanitarian assistance.