Geneva ILO The Prime Minister of Jordan Abdullah Ensour spoke of his country’s pride in the “longstanding strong partnership” between Jordan and the ILO in his address to the 103rd ILC in Geneva. “This relationship, which has developed as a result of Jordan’s strong commitment and adherence to the Organization’s fundamental principles and standards, continues to be consolidated through the joint activities and projects being implemented, which has resulted in noteworthy achievements,” Ensour told participants at the Conference.
| By the end of 2014, registered and unregistered refugees are expected to account for over 25 per cent of the population, according to the country’s interior ministry. In January 2014, the ILO estimated the potentially active Syrian refugee labour force at about 8.4 per cent of the total active force |
Jordan was the first country in the Arab region to adopt an ILO Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) in 2006.
Through a new three-year Jordan DWCP, begun in 2012, the ILO is working with the government, workers and employers to promote better working conditions, non-discrimination and equal rights at work; extend a minimum level of social security to the most vulnerable groups of society; and enhance employment opportunities with a focus on youth employment. General unemployment is estimated at between 12-14 per cent, and nearly half of the country’s six million unemployed are under the age of 19, putting an increased focus on the need to provide jobs to a burgeoning work force. In his welcome comments to the Prime Minister, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said: “Your country is strategically located in a complex region. With the goal of sustainable and inclusive growth in mind, your Government is striving to balance reform and stability; to exercise fiscal discipline, while upholding social justice.” The Syrian refugee crisis As large numbers of Syrians fleeing the fighting in their country continue streaming into Jordan for refuge, Ensour said the crisis was placing severe pressure on the country’s already scarce finances, its infrastructure, services provision, social fabric and economy. The labour market has been particularly badly hit, increasing the need for the government to find jobs for Jordanian host communities. “The arrival of so many Syrians is also having an impact on Jordanians working in the informal labour market, both in terms of competition for jobs and downward pressure on wages, thus creating social tensions in communities that are already facing high unemployment and difficult economic conditions,” Ensour explained. The Prime Minister said the Syrian refugee crisis has also “increased the problem of child labour significantly, whereby, according to our official data, they account for about 70 per cent of all child labour in Jordan.” As part of the ILO’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis, it is working with the government and international agencies in Jordan to mitigate the impact on the national labour market and support the livelihoods of host communities. Ensour called on the international community to increase aid to the Kingdom to help it shoulder the financial burden of hosting a vast number of refugees.
