Selected Child Labor Measures Adopted by Governments
| Ratified Convention 138 3/23/1998 |
X |
| Ratified Convention 182 4/20/2000 |
X |
| ILO-IPEC Member |
X |
| National Plan for Children |
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| National Child Labor Action Plan |
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| Sector Action Plan |
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Incidence and Nature of Child Labor
The ILO estimated that less than one percent of children ages 10 to 14 years in Jordan were working in 2002.[2185] According to a study by the Ministry of Labor (MOL) published in 2002, children who work are employed in automobile repair, carpentry, sales, blacksmith shops, tailoring, construction, and food services.[2186] Child vendors on the streets of Amman work selling newspapers, food, and gum. Other children provide income for their families by rummaging through trash dumpsters to find recyclable items.[2187] Due to deteriorating economic conditions, the presence of working children, especially as street vendors, may be more prevalent now than it was 10 years ago.[2188] Working children are primarily concentrated in the governorates of Amman, Zarka, Irbid, Balqa, and Ma’an.[2189] Many working children are victims of physical, verbal, and sexual abuse in the workplace and are exposed to hazardous chemicals and dangerous working conditions.[2190]
Education in Jordan is free and compulsory for children ages 6 to 17 years.[2191] The Ministry of Education (MOE) is required to open a school in every community where there are at least 10 students for grades 1 through 4.[2192] In 2001, the gross primary enrollment rate was 98.6 percent and the net primary enrollment rate was 91.3 percent.[2193] Gross and net enrollment ratios are based on the number of students formally registered in primary school and therefore do not necessarily reflect actual school attendance. Recent primary school attendance statistics are not available for Jordan. Dropout rates are relatively high at the intermediate stage, particularly in rural areas after children reach the age of 13 years.[2194] The most commonly cited reasons for dropping out of school are poverty, disability, poor academic performance, and parental attitudes.[2195]
Child Labor Laws and Enforcement
The Labor Code sets the minimum legal working age at 16 years.[2196] Minors must be given a break after 4 hours of work, are not allowed to work more than 6 hours per day, and may not work during weekends and holidays, or at night.[2197] Before hiring a minor, a prospective employer must obtain a guardian’s written approval, the minor’s birth certificate, and a health certificate.[2198] An employer that violates these provisions faces a fine ranging from 100 to 500 dinars (USD 142 to 710). The fine doubles for subsequent infractions.[2199] In February 2003, King Abdullah issued a royal decree requiring that the minimum age for employment of children working in hazardous occupations was raised from 17 to 18 years.[2200] Provisions in the Labor Code do not extend to children employed in the informal sector, which includes agriculture, domestic service, and small family enterprises.[2201]
Compulsory labor is prohibited by the Constitution of Jordan.[2202] While the law does not specifically prohibit forced or bonded labor by children, such practices are not known to occur.[2203] A Jordanian law specifically prohibits trafficking in children, and there is no indication that children were trafficked, to, from, or within the country.[2204] Inducing a girl under the age of 20 to engage in prostitution and inducing any child under the age of 15 to commit sodomy are prohibited. Sanctions for these offenses include imprisonment for up to 5 years and a fine.[2205]
The Child Labor Unit (CLU) of the MOL is primarily responsible for monitoring child labor, collecting and analyzing data, and reviewing and ensuring the enforcement of existing legislation.[2206] The MOL’s inspection division, which is comprised of 21 field offices and 79 inspectors, is mandated to inspect all registered establishments with more than 5 employees.[2207] In 2002, approximately 3,000 child labor allegations were investigated by MOL inspectors, yet none of these cases resulted in sanctions against the employers.[2208] Current inspection mechanisms are inadequate in terms of their frequency, scope, outreach, and quality of reporting.[2209]
Current Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor
The Government of Jordan, through its Information Resource Center (IRC) of the King Hussein Foundation, sponsored a 3-day conference in October 2003 for regional experts to collaborate on action plans to combat child labor.[2210] The IRC continues to conduct research on child labor and is also implementing a program for street children in Irbid with support from the Swiss government.[2211] In May 2004, the National Council for Family Affairs in collaboration with the World Bank, concluded a study of disadvantaged children in Jordan, with a particular emphasis on working children and street children.[2212] The Ministries of Labor, Education, and Social Affairs are working in collaboration with a British NGO to implement two major projects focusing on juvenile offenders and school dropouts.[2213]
USDOL is supporting a USD 1 million ILO-IPEC project to combat child labor in Jordan, which is being undertaken with the cooperation of the Ministries of Labor, Education, and Social Development. [2214] In June 2004, the CLU of the MOL, with support from ILO-IPEC, conducted a workshop to train 38 teachers and volunteers on the negative consequences of child labor. Subsequently, the participants have begun working with youths in community centers and schools to raise awareness about child labor issues.[2215]
In 2003, the MOE began implementing a USD 120 million World Bank project, the Education Reform for Knowledge Economy Project, which aims to transform the education system at the early childhood, basic, and secondary levels to produce graduates with the skills necessary for the knowledge economy.[2216] This integrated program of education reform is set out in the government's Statement of Sectoral Policy and 2003-2008 Five-Year Implementation Plan.[2217] Recognizing the link between the lack of education and child labor, the MOE intends to address child labor issues in its 2003-2015 Educational Development Plan.[2218]
The Jordanian Women’s Federation and the UN Relief and Works Agency are implementing a pilot project in the Baqa refugee camp to reach street children who have dropped out of school by engaging them in non-formal educational activities.[2219]
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