The Phenix Center for Economic and Informatics Studies presented the results of a study it conducted on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Jordan’s garment factories. The study revealed the presence of institutional gaps, infrastructural limitations, and social barriers that hinder the employment of persons with disabilities in this sector, despite the existence of supportive national legislation.
The findings were presented during a dialogue session organized yesterday by the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), under the title: “Promoting the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Jordan's Garment Sector”. The session aimed to exchange experiences, showcase international best practices for inclusion, and discuss challenges to integrating persons with disabilities into the sector.
Representatives from official bodies, such as the Ministry of Labour, reaffirmed their commitment to raising employment standards and improving workplace environments in factories, while strengthening oversight of any discriminatory practices or potential violations—particularly in relation to employers’ adherence to standards linked to the “Golden List” incentive scheme.
The session culminated efforts under the Better Work program, which seeks to improve working conditions, uphold workers' rights and decent work, and enhance the competitiveness of Jordan’s apparel sector. Supported by the Government of Canada, the program focuses on raising institutional awareness, developing tools, and implementing best practices to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces for persons with disabilities in the export-oriented garment industry.
The study, which surveyed 1,054 workers with disabilities, found that the situation of workers with disabilities in Jordan's garment sector is complex and requires concerted efforts by all relevant stakeholders. It emphasized that while an effective legal framework and compliance with quotas and anti-discrimination laws are essential, challenges also lie in infrastructure issues and prevailing social and cultural perceptions of workers with disabilities.
The study also showed that many factories cooperate with the Ministry of Labour, even though they do not yet meet the mandatory 4% employment quota for persons with disabilities. This has prompted the Ministry to launch the “Golden List”, which offers tax incentives to compliant factories, including those that employ persons with disabilities.
Despite the presence of regulatory frameworks - such as Article 13 of the Labour Law, which requires establishments with more than 25 employees to allocate at least 4% of positions to persons with disabilities - the study confirmed that employment opportunities for this group in the garment sector remain limited. It also noted that many workers with disabilities are placed in roles that do not match their skills, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and minimizing their contributions to sector development. Meanwhile, many factories lack basic accessibility measures such as appropriate building designs, elevators, emergency plans, and communication tools for individuals with hearing or visual impairments.
The study further highlighted low levels of awareness among workers and unions regarding the rights of persons with disabilities, the lack of specialized training for management and staff on inclusion, and the presence of indirect forms of discrimination in wages and job opportunities.
This group also faces additional occupational safety challenges, particularly in jobs classified as "hazardous," underscoring the need to revise and improve workplace environments to be safer and more inclusive, as the study recommends.
Among the study's key recommendations were: developing guidelines and a technical advisory manual, enhancing the capacity of Ministry of Labour inspectors, launching awareness campaigns, adopting anti-violence and anti-harassment policies in factories, and involving persons with disabilities in shaping human resources policies.
During the session, the Phenix Center also presented the contents of the guidance manual it developed to support the employment of persons with disabilities in the sector. The manual was piloted in several factories, and the Center shared follow-up findings from visits to those participating factories.
Ghadeer Al-Hares, Assistant Secretary-General for Technical Affairs at the Higher Council, stressed the importance of conducting the “Assessment of the Situation of Workers with Disabilities in Jordanian Garment Factories” study. She noted that the study represents a significant step in ongoing national efforts to empower persons with disabilities and open up the labor market to them fairly and sustainably.
Aml Mwaffaq, ILO Country Coordinator in Jordan, said the ILO's work in the garment sector reflects key messages from the recent Global Disability Summit in Germany and the Amman–Berlin Declaration. She emphasized the importance of moving from theoretical commitments to practical implementation and investing in solutions that ensure the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labor market.
Soumaya Al-Zoubi, Disability Employment Liaison Officer at the Ministry of Labour, reviewed the Ministry’s efforts in factory inspections, monitoring violations, and ensuring occupational safety procedures for persons with disabilities in the workplace.
Al-Zoubi explained that inspection teams conduct regular visits to private sector establishments to ensure compliance with the 4% employment quota. She stressed that the Ministry aims not only to expand the inclusion of persons with disabilities but also to incorporate this goal into its broader plans and strategies, especially in remote and underserved areas.
She also noted a growing trend in employing persons with disabilities across various fields, including manufacturing and electronics. The Ministry has long voiced concerns about safety standards in workplaces—now incorporated as a key component of the Golden List criteria, with employing persons with disabilities being a core requirement.
Al-Zoubi added that labour inspectors' role in monitoring garment factories concerning the conditions of workers with disabilities is highly rigorous, with surveillance cameras connected to a centralized control room at the Ministry.
Khaled Al-Omrani, Deputy President of the General Trade Union for Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing Industries, reaffirmed the union’s belief in the right of persons with disabilities to decent work. He noted the union’s ongoing efforts to incorporate their rights into collective agreements and promote workplace inclusion.
He also pointed out that the number of workers with disabilities in the garment factories, as cited in the Phenix Center’s study, has not increased since 2022.
Anne Theresa, Executive Director of “Classic Fashion” factory, emphasized that the inclusion of persons with disabilities won’t happen overnight—but it will never happen unless we start now. She stressed the need for employers to meet all integration requirements within inclusive work environments.
Rafat Al-Zaytawi, representing the Higher Council, concluded by emphasizing the importance of promoting a positive image of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity. He stated that disability is not a deficiency but a difference in ability, and this philosophy must be reflected in training curricula, work systems, and employment policies. He also called for involving persons with disabilities in decision-making and policy development within institutions.