This research explored the ways in which the social security reforms changed hiring and retention practices of women in the private sector and how the amendment impacted women’s willingness to enter and continue working in this sector.  It is important to note that during the course of the research, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown affected the way in which enterprises in the private sector operate and the livelihood of employees. As a result, it was important to reflect this in the research and accordingly the research questions were amended to capture this impact.

This research uses a mixed method approach to generate an in-depth understanding of the impact of SS law reforms and the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s employment in the private sector. The research was based on a thorough review of legislation and literature, a survey with a representative sample of 457 employed and unemployed women in Amman and Irbid, and 20 in-depth interviews with employers from different firm sizes (small, medium, large) and sectors in Amman and Irbid.

This project was part of the Women Empowered for Leadership (WE4L) program implemented by Hivos and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, which aimed to ensure that women have equal opportunities and the capacity to fully participate in leadership positions.