Amman, Jordan (ILO News)- In a collaborative initiative, the International Labour Organization (ILO), SADAQA Foundation, and the Norwegian Embassy in Jordan hosted a workshop to present an updated National Framework for Daycares (NFD) covering the years 2024 - 2026. Aimed at strengthening women's economic participation and improving access to high-quality childcare in Jordan, this strategic framework serves as a comprehensive plan to address these critical areas.

The workshop’s main goal was to introduce the updated framework to a wide range of international organizations and donor agencies, seeking to encourage cooperative efforts. The event was attended by Espen Lindbakk, the Norwegian Ambassador to Jordan, and Maha Al Ali, the Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), along with a host of representatives from international and donor agencies operating in Jordan. Additionally, the workshop featured the national team tasked with developing the action plan for the framework. This team, working in conjunction with SADAQA and the ILO, included members from various governmental agencies, such as the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), the Social Security Corporation (SSC), the Ministry of Labour (MoL), the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC), the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC), and the Prime Ministry.

Reem Aslan, ILO senior gender specialist, highlighted the ongoing efforts by the ILO and SADAQA since 2012 to advocate for daycare establishments, in line with Article 72 of the Labour Law and Article 42 of the Social Security Law on maternity protection, and adhering to International Labour Standards (ILS), particularly the C183 - Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183). These efforts are in sync with Jordan's Economic Modernisation Vision and the National Women Strategy Action Plan 2023 – 2025, aiming to enhance women's economic roles and ensure access to superior childcare services. Furthermore, this initiative supports the national drive to professionalize the care sector, setting occupational standards through the TVSDC.

Insights from Norway

Lindbakk emphasised the framework's importance in offering high-quality and affordable childcare solutions, aligning with the Jordanian government's goal to ensure every child in Jordan receives adequate care. He highlighted how the framework supports both women's economic involvement and children's development simultaneously. Drawing from Norway's experience, Lindbakk noted that the availability of nurseries and childcare facilities, coupled with flexible work policies for parents, has significantly boosted women's economic participation in Norway. He stated that the embassy is prepared to impart Norway's insights in this field through study tour visits, exemplified by the trips arranged by the ILO and SADAQA in collaboration with diverse governmental bodies in 2022.


Al Ali stressed the importance of this national framework as a vital addition to ongoing initiatives in the care sector. She underscored childcare as a critical obstacle for women seeking to enter and remain in the workforce, a fact supported by national research. Al Ali also addressed the issue of nursery services' affordability, especially given the discrepancy between the cost of these services and the general wage levels. The gathering of all pertinent stakeholders was seen as a unique chance to thoroughly evaluate and discuss the framework, aiming to craft recommendations that integrate and build upon these collective efforts for the future.

Fostering collaboration and policy reform

In the workshop held during the week leading up to this year's International Women's Day, themed "Invest in Women: Accelerating Progress," participants discussed the executive plan for the NFD. This plan outlines the framework's goals, activities, and indicators, detailing the roles and responsibilities of involved entities. It emphasized the critical need for effective coordination among all international organizations and donor agencies to harmonize efforts. The discussions highlighted the urgency of activating relevant laws related to women's employment and childcare sector legislation, expanding social protection networks, securing sustainable government funding, and the necessity of professionalizing the childcare sector at the national level.

Randa Naffa, a co-founder, and executive team member of SADAQA, said the primary aim of the proposed national framework is to enhance women's economic participation by increasing the availability of quality childcare services. "Over the past year, the National Framework for Daycares task force has diligently crafted a matrix and roadmap to fulfil the framework's overarching goal through a detailed action plan," Naffa explained. She further elaborated, "We set broad and specific goals for the framework, supported by indicators and activities, such as raising the number of children enrolled in nurseries, aiming to boost women's economic participation by 20 per cent by 2026, and increasing the count of registered nurseries to 2000 by the same year." Naffa underscored the interconnectedness of all indicators to achieve both the general and specific objectives of the NFD.

A key outcome of the workshop was the consensus among all participants on the importance of continuing to hold consultative meetings within Jordan's childcare sector. These discussions aim to foster collaborative and inclusive efforts, with a focus on ensuring sustained government backing for social protection programs. Emphasis was also placed on the need for regulatory policies that support the sector and its workforce, as well as on creating childcare facilities that are welcoming and accessible to children with disabilities.