Amman – A researchreport issued by the Phenix Center for Economic and Informational Studies underthe Jordanian Labor Watch program calls for legislative reforms andcomprehensive economic and social policies to advance women’s economic justicein the Jordanian labor market and address the structural challenges that limittheir economic participation. The report was released on the occasion of InternationalWomen’s Day, observed annually on March 8.
The report points to aclear gap between official discourse on women’s empowerment and the reality ofwomen’s economic participation. It emphasizes that women’s limited integrationinto the labor market is not only linked to social and cultural factors, but isalso closely connected to the structure of economic policies and the socialprotection system in Jordan.
The report also notesthat these challenges are further compounded by the complex regional context.Ongoing instability in the region—driven by the occupation of Palestine and thewars waged by Israel with the support of its Western allies—has created adifficult political and economic environment that undermines developmentopportunities across the region.
According to thereport, these circumstances increase economic and social pressures onneighboring countries, including Jordan, which negatively affects labor marketsand prospects for sustainable development. These impacts are particularlysevere for the most vulnerable groups, especially women.
The report indicatesthat statistical indicators continue to reflect weak economic participationamong women. Women’s labor force participation rates remain significantly lowerthan those of men, while unemployment rates among women remain high. The genderwage gap persists in several sectors, and the proportion of women covered bysocial security remains relatively low, reflecting the widespread presence ofwomen in informal employment.
It further highlightsthat these indicators are linked to a set of interconnected challenges,including weak social protection systems and the prevalence of social securityevasion in some sectors that employ women. Additional challenges include wagedisparities, discrimination in the workplace, and risks of violence andharassment at work. Women also face the burden of balancing paid work withunpaid family care responsibilities, particularly in the absence of adequate supportiveinfrastructure such as childcare facilities and reliable public transportation.
The report also drawsattention to emerging challenges associated with new forms of work, such asdigital platform work and home-based employment. Many women working in thesesectors lack clear contracts and adequate social protection, exposing them toeconomic exploitation and unstable income.
In response to thesechallenges, the report presents a set of policy recommendations and alternativemeasures aimed at enhancing women’s economic participation and ensuring afairer and safer work environment. It calls for a review of the Social SecurityLaw and its related regulations to expand social protection coverage to includevulnerable groups of women workers, such as those in agriculture, domesticwork, and digital platform-based employment. It also recommends strengtheningthe sustainability of maternity insurance and linking it with mechanisms thatsupport institutional childcare services.
The report furtherurges the Senate to expedite the passage of amendments to the Labor Law thatwere approved by the House of Representatives. These amendments includeextending maternity leave and strengthening legal protections for womenworkers. It also stresses the need to incorporate a clear definition ofgender-based violence in labor legislation, including sexual harassment andonline harassment in the workplace.
Moreover, the reportemphasizes the importance of ratifying International Labour OrganizationConvention No. 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work, andaligning national legislation with its provisions to ensure workplaces freefrom violence and discrimination.
On the economic front,the report stresses the need to develop gender-responsive economic policiesthat focus on creating decent job opportunities for women and improving wagelevels. It also calls for strengthening public transportation systems andexpanding institutional and public childcare services in workplaces to supportworking mothers and enable them to remain in the labor market.
The report alsorecommends strengthening the oversight role of the Ministry of Labour and theSocial Security Corporation to combat social security evasion and addressviolations against women workers. In addition, it calls for buildingpartnerships between the government and civil society organizations to monitorthe conditions of women workers, particularly in informal sectors.
Finally, the reportstresses that achieving women’s economic justice in Jordan requires movingbeyond rhetoric to concrete policies. It concludes that women’s economicempowerment is not only a matter of rights, but also a key pillar for promotingeconomic growth, social stability, and sustainable development in Jordan.