Social Insurance Reform in Jordan: Awareness and Perceptions of Employment Opportunities for Women

Social Insurance Reform in Jordan: Awareness and Perceptions of Employment Opportunities for Women

The social insurance law introduced by the Jordanian government in 2010 was created in part to improve the likelihood of women’s employment through non- and gender specific changes. This study, which comprised individual interviews and focus groups with Jordanian women and men, employers and opinion leaders, was designed to elicit an understanding of their awareness and knowledge of the new law, designed to increase women’s employment - primarily the maternity insurance provision. Those affected by the law remained largely uninformed. Many employers communicated that they did not perceive it as cost neutral for their firms. Participants who were aware of the law, viewed the changes positively and believed with the right circumstances, the law could increase female employment.