Amman, Tuesday, 30 June 2026
The Phenix Center forEconomic and Informatics Studies has called for the establishment of a nationalsystem that guarantees a minimum income for older people who do not receive anypension or regular source of income. The Center stressed that the presence ofolder people without regular income represents one of the most significant gapsin Jordan’s social protection system, making them more vulnerable to poverty,isolation, violence, and exploitation.
This call comes in aresearch report issued by the Center, which examines the state of socialprotection for older people, the main challenges they face, and a set ofrecommendations aimed at developing public policies and strengthening therights of older people.
The report noted that Jordanis undergoing a rapid demographic transition, reflected in the gradual increasein the number of older persons. Jordan’s population stands at approximately 12million, with people aged 60 and above accounting for 5.5 percent of the totalpopulation. This share is expected to rise to 16.6 percent by 2050, requiring areorientation of public policies to develop social protection, health, andsocial care systems in ways that ensure a fairer and more sustainable responseto their needs.
The report explained thatsome of the challenges facing older people stem from inequalities accumulatedduring their working lives. Many reach old age without adequate pension rightsor any regular source of income due to employment in the informal sector,limited coverage by social security, or failure to meet the eligibilityrequirements for pension benefits. As a result, poverty in old age is often anextension of unstable work trajectories rather than a consequence of ageingitself.
The report found that only52 percent of older people are covered by pension or social security systems,while 21 percent receive social assistance from the National Aid Fund or theMinistry of Social Development. Meanwhile, 27 percent remain outside bothsystems, without any pension income or social assistance.
It also showed that theaverage pension income is around JOD 400 per month, while older people estimatetheir basic needs at between JOD 500 and JOD 800 per month. This reflects aclear gap between available income and the cost of living.
The report also addressedeconomic violence as one of the key challenges facing older people. Itindicated that some older people face pressure to give up their property orlose control over their money and financial rights, particularly in situationswhere they are highly dependent on others. This calls for stronger legal andeconomic protection for this group.
The report further notedthat existing poverty support programmes, particularly the National Aid Fund,do not reach all older people in greatest need despite their importance. Thisis due to targeting criteria that may not adequately reflect their actualeconomic conditions, especially in cases where an older person ownsnon-income-generating assets or lives with a family member without having anactual income. The report therefore called for a review of eligibility criteriain a way that considers the specific circumstances of old age.
The report also highlightedthe growing challenges of social isolation and neglect among many olderpersons, considering the demographic and social changes witnessed by Jordaniansociety, the decline of traditional care patterns, and the limited availabilityof home-based care and community support services. These factors affect themental and physical health of older people and limit their inclusion insociety.
In the same context, thereport stressed that violence and abuse against older people are no longerlimited to psychological and economic violence but may sometimes extend tophysical violence. It pointed out that weak monitoring and reportingmechanisms, limited protection services, and the absence of a specialized legalframework limit the ability of institutions to prevent and respond effectivelyto such violations.
The report recommendedadopting an integrated package of policies, foremost among them theestablishment of a national system for older persons not covered by the variouspension schemes; reviewing targeting criteria in cash assistance programmes;developing community-based and home-based care services; strengthening legalprotection against economic violence and abuse; establishing a national systemto monitor cases of violence and neglect; and expanding the database andresearch on the conditions of older persons.
The Phenix Center concludedits report by emphasizing that issues related to older people should beaddressed from a human rights and social protection perspective, recognizingthem as rights-holders rather than merely recipients of assistance. It stressedthat ensuring their economic and social security is an investment in socialjustice and sustainable development and enhances their ability to live withdignity and independence and to participate actively in society.