Protecting migrant workers’ rights in Jordan

The project, led by ILO with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) as a key partner, adopts a three pronged strategy to bring about improvements in the respect of the fundamental rights of workers in Jordan, particularly foreign migrant workers. It will support trade unions to reach out to and empower migrant workers, as well as provide them with better services and information; it will engage with factory and QIZ managers, employers and recruitment agencies to increase their awareness and capacity to respect workers’ rights, through improved recruitment and employment practices; and finally, support to labor-management cooperation will bring the two parties together in order to conclude more and better collective bargaining agreements in the QIZ and the construction sector. Some support will also be given to the Ministry of Labor to enable it to fulfill particular functions essential to protect migrant workers’ rights, including better regulation of private employment agencies (PrEAs). The project targets men and women workers, in particular migrant workers, and employers in three sectors vulnerable to exploitative labor practices, namely construction, apparel production in the Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs) and, to a lesser extent, domestic work. The project will cooperate closely with Better Work Jordan (BWJ) in the QIZ-based activities.

Project symbol

JOR/11/04/USA

Admin unit

RO-Arab States/DWT-Beirut

Start date

29/09/2011

End date

31/05/2014

Total allocation

742574

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

708515

Development Partners

USA, Department of State

Country/Countries

Jordan

Outcomes

Forced Labour