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15 August 2000
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CESCR
23rd session
15 August 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued its consideration of the second periodic report of Jordan, asking a Government delegation for specifics on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The delegation, led by the Permanent Representative of Jordan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Shehab Madi, focused on labour issues such as employment rights, the right to strike, and the right to social security. Difficult economic times in the late 1980s, the delegation explained, were compounded by the Gulf War in 1991, forcing the unemployment rate up to 27 per cent at the time. Chief exports, many of which had formerly gone to Iraq, dropped dramatically, and production jobs were reduced to the point where factories were only working at 20 per cent capacity.
Since then, the economy was in recovery, with the unemployment rate reduced to 14 per cent. Parliament was considering a modest minimum wage, and the Government had put in place a monitoring mechanism to ensure that acceptable working hours and conditions were adhered to.
Jordan also respected the right to organize trade unions, the delegation said, although experts asked for the reasons that there were restrictions on teachers right to strike. The delegation answered that striking was not the only line of defense for teachers, and that a teacher strike could adversely affect students.
The delegation also described the social insurance structure, explaining that a social security system was put in place in the late 1970s to begin paying in the 1980s. In addition, there was a civil pension fund and a military pension fund.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 16 August, it will continue its consideration of the second periodic report of Jordan.
Discussion
Answering questions posed by Committee experts, the Jordanian delegation said unemployment was very high in the country. While the figures varied, there was no question that it was a problem, and that the rate was very high. During the Gulf War, Jordan received 500,000 persons from abroad. Most of the people were skilled professionals, and following the war, the unemployment rate reached 27 per cent. Eighty per cent of Jordan's exports went to neighbouring countries, and that stopped after the war. Exports to Iraq were banned. Exports in vegetables used to be $25 million. That had since dropped to $20 million. Nevertheless, the delegation said, the economy was starting to create employment, and the latest Government figure showed unemployment had dropped to 14.5 per cent.
The delegation said that as long as Jordanian society was young and dynamic -- 32.3 per cent of the population were students -- then there was going to be a lot of young, skilled people entering the labour market. Getting jobs for all of them would be a challenge.
Asked about the minimum wage, the delegation said a Commission was established in 1996 to study the possibility of a minimum wage. It proposed the wage to the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry recommended that the Prime Minister adopt it. It was the equivalent of $112-$115, and it could be considered a little low. But the various interests had to be considered. Because of the Gulf War, the factories were working at 20 per cent capacity. Workers had the choice to accept some of these circumstances, or to leave. The minimum wage could be an acceptable level in the rural areas. Working hours were regulated, and there was a monitoring system in place to ensure acceptable working hours and conditions.
The armed forces, the police, and international civil servants were not covered by these labour laws. Each of these groups had special labour legislation. With regard to domestic workers, farmers and agricultural workers, there had been difficulty in applying the law .
The delegation said members of the armed forces were not allowed to organize a union. In fact, members of the armed forces were not able to participate in elections to keep them from becoming partisan. But other employees were allowed to join trade unions. In the past, there were no trade unions at all. The legal body for trade unions was evolving slowly -- it could not be created overnight.
Concerning restrictions on strikes, the delegation said a strike was not the only means of defense. Teachers were not allowed to strike. What would happen to the pupils? What would happen to their future? The Government recognized freedom of association and the right to organize, but there was also a recognition about the rights of the pupils. In the case of dismissal, there was an appellate process for the person who felt he was wrongly dismissed. In Jordanian legislation, there were remedies. Striking was not the only line of defense.
In Jordan, the delegation said, there were several social insurance schemes. One was social security, and there was also the civil pension fund, and the military pension fund. In addition, there were private insurance schemes as well. At the end of the 1970s, the social security system was set up to go into effect in the 1980s. The population had been growing by 10 to 12 per cent. But in 1988 and 1989, an economic crisis hit the country, and economic growth dropped from 12 per cent to - 3 per cent. Before the economy recovered, the Gulf War started. All of these factors hampered the application of the other insurances.
All of these funds, the delegation said, were invested, but the monthly contributions were very low. The funds invested the money to cover the deficit induced by low contributions. Foreigners were entitled to the exact social security benefits that Jordanians were -- there was no discrimination in the system. When a man died, the social security would cover his family immediately -- and the benefits were multiplied by the number of beneficiaries in the family. That terminated when the child turned 18, although the widow continued to enjoy the benefits. However, when a women died, the widower did not have a right to her social security. That was not discrimination against women, it was against men. That was being looked at, however.
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23rd session
15 August 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued its consideration of the second periodic report of Jordan, asking a Government delegation for specifics on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The delegation, led by the Permanent Representative of Jordan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Shehab Madi, focused on labour issues such as employment rights, the right to strike, and the right to social security. Difficult economic times in the late 1980s, the delegation explained, were compounded by the Gulf War in 1991, forcing the unemployment rate up to 27 per cent at the time. Chief exports, many of which had formerly gone to Iraq, dropped dramatically, and production jobs were reduced to the point where factories were only working at 20 per cent capacity.
Since then, the economy was in recovery, with the unemployment rate reduced to 14 per cent. Parliament was considering a modest minimum wage, and the Government had put in place a monitoring mechanism to ensure that acceptable working hours and conditions were adhered to.
Jordan also respected the right to organize trade unions, the delegation said, although experts asked for the reasons that there were restrictions on teachers right to strike. The delegation answered that striking was not the only line of defense for teachers, and that a teacher strike could adversely affect students.
The delegation also described the social insurance structure, explaining that a social security system was put in place in the late 1970s to begin paying in the 1980s. In addition, there was a civil pension fund and a military pension fund.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 16 August, it will continue its consideration of the second periodic report of Jordan.
Discussion
Answering questions posed by Committee experts, the Jordanian delegation said unemployment was very high in the country. While the figures varied, there was no question that it was a problem, and that the rate was very high. During the Gulf War, Jordan received 500,000 persons from abroad. Most of the people were skilled professionals, and following the war, the unemployment rate reached 27 per cent. Eighty per cent of Jordan's exports went to neighbouring countries, and that stopped after the war. Exports to Iraq were banned. Exports in vegetables used to be $25 million. That had since dropped to $20 million. Nevertheless, the delegation said, the economy was starting to create employment, and the latest Government figure showed unemployment had dropped to 14.5 per cent.
The delegation said that as long as Jordanian society was young and dynamic -- 32.3 per cent of the population were students -- then there was going to be a lot of young, skilled people entering the labour market. Getting jobs for all of them would be a challenge.
Asked about the minimum wage, the delegation said a Commission was established in 1996 to study the possibility of a minimum wage. It proposed the wage to the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry recommended that the Prime Minister adopt it. It was the equivalent of $112-$115, and it could be considered a little low. But the various interests had to be considered. Because of the Gulf War, the factories were working at 20 per cent capacity. Workers had the choice to accept some of these circumstances, or to leave. The minimum wage could be an acceptable level in the rural areas. Working hours were regulated, and there was a monitoring system in place to ensure acceptable working hours and conditions.
The armed forces, the police, and international civil servants were not covered by these labour laws. Each of these groups had special labour legislation. With regard to domestic workers, farmers and agricultural workers, there had been difficulty in applying the law .
The delegation said members of the armed forces were not allowed to organize a union. In fact, members of the armed forces were not able to participate in elections to keep them from becoming partisan. But other employees were allowed to join trade unions. In the past, there were no trade unions at all. The legal body for trade unions was evolving slowly -- it could not be created overnight.
Concerning restrictions on strikes, the delegation said a strike was not the only means of defense. Teachers were not allowed to strike. What would happen to the pupils? What would happen to their future? The Government recognized freedom of association and the right to organize, but there was also a recognition about the rights of the pupils. In the case of dismissal, there was an appellate process for the person who felt he was wrongly dismissed. In Jordanian legislation, there were remedies. Striking was not the only line of defense.
In Jordan, the delegation said, there were several social insurance schemes. One was social security, and there was also the civil pension fund, and the military pension fund. In addition, there were private insurance schemes as well. At the end of the 1970s, the social security system was set up to go into effect in the 1980s. The population had been growing by 10 to 12 per cent. But in 1988 and 1989, an economic crisis hit the country, and economic growth dropped from 12 per cent to - 3 per cent. Before the economy recovered, the Gulf War started. All of these factors hampered the application of the other insurances.
All of these funds, the delegation said, were invested, but the monthly contributions were very low. The funds invested the money to cover the deficit induced by low contributions. Foreigners were entitled to the exact social security benefits that Jordanians were -- there was no discrimination in the system. When a man died, the social security would cover his family immediately -- and the benefits were multiplied by the number of beneficiaries in the family. That terminated when the child turned 18, although the widow continued to enjoy the benefits. However, when a women died, the widower did not have a right to her social security. That was not discrimination against women, it was against men. That was being looked at, however.
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