The International Labour Organization (ILO) convened a one-day technical workshop in Amman, Jordan, bringing together government representatives, national institutions, and independent experts to discuss findings from the ILO’s Labour Supply Microsimulation Model for Jordan. The workshop focused on the interaction between social protection and labour market policies, analyzing how household characteristics and labour market structures influence workers’ decisions to join the workforce or transition between informal and formal employment.
The analysis presented quantified the impact of social protection benefits on these decisions and explored tools and strategies to encourage formalization. Participants discussed barriers to female labour force participation, including unpaid care responsibilities, limited access to quality employment, and higher chances of entering informal work. The dialogue emphasized the need for alignment between labour market, social protection, and tax policies to provide consistent incentives for both workers and enterprises.
The workshop concluded with discussions on how modelling tools can support evidence-based policymaking and contribute to the implementation of Jordan’s National Social Protection Strategy 2025–2033. The ILO highlighted that such tools are essential for designing policies that promote formal employment, enhance productivity, and foster inclusive growth.
This initiative forms part of the ILO’s Estidama++ programme, which supports expanding social protection through contribution subsidies and strengthens evidence-based analysis for policymaking in Jordan. Estidama++ is a multi-donor initiative funded by Norway, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, aimed at promoting inclusive and sustainable labour market reforms.
