Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Jordan (Ratification: 2003)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Article 2 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee welcomes the information on legislative developments during the reporting period, including the adoption of Law No. 20 of 2017 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This law represents a foundational step towards reinforcing the rights of persons with disabilities in the labour market, indicating that no person may be excluded from employment or from training on the basis of, or because of, disability (section 25(a)). The law introduces a quota system and calls for the establishment of the Equal Opportunities Committee, composed of Government, Employer and Worker representatives, and persons with disabilities. The Committee notes from section 14(c) of Law No. 20 that the Equal Opportunities Committee assumes functions that include receiving complaints related to discrimination on the basis of, or because of, disability in the field of employment and settling such complaints with the relevant authorities. The Government indicates that 185 complaints have been received and settled through the Equal Opportunities Committee during 2021–22. It also indicates that it is developing an electronic system for work-related complaints, in which complaints are received and tracked. Furthermore, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Institute of Public Administration to implement a training and coaching project for persons with disabilities over the 2021–22 period, involving 175 participants. The Committee notes from a ILO publication on workers with disabilities in Jordan’s garment sector that, while unemployment rates are already particularly high (reaching 22.6 per cent in mid-2022), persons with disabilities are disproportionately represented both among Jordan’s unemployed and the NEET (not in employment, education or training) populations – as of 2015, approximately 72.2 per cent of persons with disabilities in Jordan were not employed (66 per cent not actively seeking employment, to 6.2 per cent looking for and applying to jobs). With regard to the implementation of Law No. 20 of 2017 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to improve the integration of persons with disabilities into the labour market, including details on compliance with the quota system. Noting that no statistics on the employment rate of persons with disabilities were included in the report, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated statistics, disaggregated by sex and age, on their employment rate in both the public and private sectors.

Article 3. Access to the open labour market. The Committee notes the Government’s initiatives to promote employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the open labour market, including establishing networks with public and private institutions and raising awareness of partners regarding the rights of persons with disabilities in work environments. During 2022–23, 25 awareness workshops were organized, targeting persons with disabilities in the government and private sectors, aiming to raise awareness on human rights methodology, labour law, and social security law. These workshops also engaged employers and human resources professionals to foster an inclusive and accessible work culture. As part of these efforts, a private sector network led to the employment of 38 persons with disabilities in various fields, such as education, communications, technology, manufacturing, the military, and banking. In the government sector, 35 persons with disabilities were hired for roles matching their qualifications. Furthermore, the Central Employment Directorate at the Ministry of Labour employed 39 individuals with disabilities, while the Productive Branches Unit facilitated the placement of 297 more. The Government actively encourages private entities to hire persons with disabilities by promoting success stories through media and social media platforms, setting positive examples for other institutions and organizations. In addition to awareness-raising measures, the Committee notes that the Government intends to increase inspection visits and that 1,783 inspection visits were conducted in the first seven months of 2023, resulting in 15 violations and 49 warnings issued. It also notes that a collaborative agreement was signed between the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to implement a project aligning ESCWA’s Skills Monitoring with the Higher Council’s database of jobseekers with disabilities. This project aims to develop an electronic database for individuals with disabilities who are seeking employment and linking it with the ESCWA monitoring platform, while assessing the skills gaps between the skills of persons with disabilities and those required in the labour market in order to facilitate training programmes. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to enhance employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the open labour market, including measures addressing skills gaps. It also requests the Government to provide updated information on the number of violations and warnings issued by the inspection service regarding the employment of persons with disabilities.

Article 5. Consultation with the social partners and with organizations representing persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities provided technical support during 2022 to improve social and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities in Amman, Mafraq and Zarqa. The project aimed to strengthen the capacity of national partners regarding employment issues for persons with disabilities and implement mobilization activities towards public bodies and institutions in order to promote economic and labour rights of persons with disabilities, vocational training and job integration. Training programmes were held for 15 participants from civil organizations working in the field of disability, enhancing planning and advocating for rights awareness. Additionally, the Government indicates that workers' organizations are encouraged to adapt part of their services to support members with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the manner in which representative organizations of employers and workers and representative organizations of persons with disabilities are consulted on the implementation and review of the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. It also requests that the Government provide information on the outcome of such consultations.

Article 7. Services accessible to persons with disabilities. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to make employment services, vocational guidance and vocational training available to persons with disabilities. The Committee notes from the report that various measures were taken, including an agreement with the Vocational Training Corporation during 2019–22 to become inclusive and ready to receive students with disabilities. Other measures included exempting trainees with disabilities from training allowances and fees, training 15 Vocational Training Corporation employees on human rights methodology and sign language, and adapting training materials to accessible formats. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to make employment services, vocational guidance and vocational training available to persons with disabilities. It also requests the Government to include detailed information, including statistics, indicating how those services have contributed to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Article 2 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the detailed disaggregated statistical information on employed persons with disabilities provided in the Government’s report. It also notes with interest the creation in 2014 of the Higher National Committee for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities into the Labour Market, which is responsible for developing, reviewing and supervising measures for the vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. The Japan International Cooperation Agency has provided technical assistance for capacity building for government officers responsible for the integration and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Labour has launched vocational training workshops and awareness-raising campaigns to foster the employment of persons with disabilities. Some 43,407 persons with disabilities are now registered in the database of the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities, of whom 4,895 are in employment. The Government adds that 10 per cent of all civil service positions shall be occupied by persons with disabilities. Between 2010 and 2014, some 432 persons with different types of disabilities and different educational levels were placed in jobs in the civil service. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the impact of the measures taken to improve the integration of persons with disabilities into the labour market.

Article 3. Access to the open labour market. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Labour is preparing a directory of potential employers of persons with disabilities and a handbook on the employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to enhance employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the open labour market.

Article 5. Consultation with the social partners and other actors. The Government indicates that workers’ organizations and organizations representing persons with disabilities support the Ministry of Labour in implementing measures for the vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. Consultations are held through continuous networking. The Government adds that it holds meetings with the social partners to discuss challenges in relation to the employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the consultations held with the social partners and organizations of and for persons with disabilities on the matters covered by the Convention. Please provide information on the outcomes of such consultations.

Article 7. Services accessible to persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that nine vocational training centres have been established in the country to provide vocational education for persons with disabilities. It adds that the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities has launched a project to promote the employment of persons with disabilities in partnership with the National Centre for the Development of Human Resources and the Civil Service Bureau. Between 2007 and 2015, a total of 1,477 persons with disabilities benefited from training courses. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures taken to make employment services, vocational guidance and vocational training available to persons with disabilities. Please indicate how those services have contributed to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

The Committee notes the Government’s detailed replies to its 2006 direct request received in August 2010.

Article 2 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that it has promulgated Law No. 31 of 2007 on the rights of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that this law is characterized by a shift from a welfare-based to a rights-based approach to disability and a shifted focus from targeted care measures to the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities by removing discriminatory as well as environmental and social barriers. Section 4(c) of Law No. 31 underlines the right of persons with disabilities to equal employment opportunities and the obligation for employers to accommodate their needs. The Committee further notes that the law stipulates that all public and private establishments employing between 25 and 50 workers should employ at least one person with disability and that, in all public and private establishments employing more than 50 workers, no fewer than 4 per cent of all employees should be persons with disabilities. The Committee also notes with interest that the National Disability Strategy 2007–15 sets forth a number of measures to be taken in order to increase the participation of persons with disabilities: (a) enhancing accessibility at workplaces; (b) providing accessible public means of transportation on routes to qualified industrial zones; (c) providing monetary incentives to institutions that show commitment in hiring and training persons with disabilities; (d) ensuring rights of persons with disabilities to equal opportunities in the workplace and equal pay in appropriate working conditions; (e) supporting and building the capacities of vocational training institutions and increasing the enrolment of persons with disabilities; (f) following up on the application of the disability employment quota by establishing a specialized department in the Ministry of Labour. The Committee notes the Government’s data provided on training sessions intended for persons with disabilities and carried out at the Vocational Training Foundation’s institutes for a total of 906 persons trained and with special services for the hearing, mobility, visually and physically impaired. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide, in its next report, information on the implementation of the national policy for vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities and also reports on the number of persons with disabilities appointed by the civil service department. It also invites the Government to include statistics (disaggregated as much as possible by age, sex and the nature of the disability), studies or surveys on the matters covered by the Convention (Part V of the report form).

Article 3. Access to the open labour market. The Government indicates that it has succeeded in employing 79 persons with disabilities while the project of national employment and training succeeded in employing 23 persons with disabilities from 2007 to 2009. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of measures taken to ensure employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the public sector (Civil Service Department) and also in the private sector.

Article 5. Consultations with the social partners. The Government indicates that several meetings were held for the purpose of raising awareness on the right of persons with disabilities to employment and their integration in the labour market. It indicates that meetings were held with the Chamber of Industry and the Chamber of Commerce regarding the role to be played by the private sector to ensure economic empowerment for persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to describe the manner in which representatives of workers’ organizations and representative organizations of, and for, disabled persons are also consulted on the matters covered by the Convention.

Article 7. Arrangements to adapt various services to enable employment for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Vocational Training Foundation has adopted a project for the vocational rehabilitation and training of persons with disabilities in all regions. Seven vocational institutes were established with the necessary infrastructure to meet the basic needs of persons with disabilities in all three regions and additional similarly adapted institutes are intended for the future. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its next report updated information on the impact of the arrangements made to adapt various services to enable people with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

1. The Committee notes the first report on the application of the Convention received in October 2005, which describes the provisions of the Law for the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities (Law No. 12 of 1993), the Instructions of 1999 regarding productive activities and the actions taken by the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Social Development to implement Law No. 12 of 1993. The Committee requests statistics and reports on the implementation of the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment for persons with disabilities (Part V of the report form). The Committee would also like to examine information on how the national policy is periodically reviewed (Article 2 of the Convention). Please indicate the impact in the open labour market of the employment opportunities offered to persons with disabilities, like the 2 per cent of posts reserved for people with disabilities in enterprises employing 50 workers or more and the reservation of posts for people with disabilities in the public sector. The Committee would also like to be informed of the facilities provided for persons with disabilities for access to employment service centres and employment opportunities and to information about employment opportunities (Articles 3 and 7). Please continue to supply statistics, extracts of reports, studies and inquiries concerning the matters covered by the Convention (Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention and Part V of the report form).

2. Consultations with the social partners. The Committee notes that the National Council for the Welfare of the Disabled has been established by Law No. 12. It requests the Government to further describe in its next report the functioning of the National Council and the consultations held with representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations on the matters covered by the Convention (Article 5).

3. The Committee asks the Government to further report on the impact of the arrangements made to adapt the various services to enable  people with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment (Article 7).