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AMMAN — Jordan has gained eight points on the 2017 Open Budget Index, achieving 63 per cent, and being ranked one of the first among Middle East countries, according to the Washington-based International Budget Partnership (IBP).

General Budget Department Spokesperson Muhammad Okeili said that Jordan advanced eight points compared to the 2015 classification, when the Kingdom registered 55 per cent, noting that Morocco reached 45 per cent, Egypt 41 and Tunisia 39, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Okeili noted that Jordan ranked 24 out of the 115 countries listed in the index, highlighting that the Kingdom's grade of 63 per cent is higher than the international average of participating countries (42 per cent).  

He attributed this progress to the improvements implemented over the past two years on procedures of preparing the budget and the quality of information mentioned in budget documents.

The Open Budget Index is the world’s only independent, comparative measure of central government budget transparency, which is published every two years, according to the IBP website.

The index assigns countries covered by the Open Budget Survey a transparency score on a 100-point scale using a subset of questions that assess the amount and timelines of budget information made publicly available in eight key budget documents, in accordance with international standards. 

The Open Budget Index 2017 showed a modest decline in average global budget transparency scores, from 45 in 2015 to 43 in 2017 for the 102 countries that were surveyed in both rounds. 

This decline is in stark contrast with the average increase of two points documented in each round of the survey between 2008 and 2015, the website added.

AMMAN — "Through this campaign, we have challenged the status quo and shown that female teachers are an important part of the community who can achieve their ambitions and objectives," said Sajida, a teacher from Irbid who helped launch the Stand Up with the Teacher campaign two-and-a-half year ago.

Started in 2015 with the support of The National Committee for Pay Equity (NCPE) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the campaign aims to help female teachers working in private schools ensure that their basic labour rights are respected, according to the campaign organisers.

"In Jordan, it is a common practice for private schools to pay women teachers less than the national minimum wage of 220JD per month," said Nisreen Haj Ahmad, co-founder of Ahel, the Jordanian organisation supporting the campaign.

"In November, the Education Ministry promised these women that they would finally receive their salaries directly on their bank accounts, as a response to their campaigning action called 'My pay in the bank'," she told The Jordan Times, stressing "so far, we have not witnessed any concrete action in that regard and we want the public institutions to know that they are not
giving up”.

A teacher in Irbid where the movement started, Heba Abu Ghneim said: “There are many schools in Irbid, Madaba, Karak, Ajloun, Jerash and Zarqa which do not comply with the new minimum wage of JD220. If that happens, we try to make a formal complaint or to work with a mediator to solve the issue.” 

However, she explained, it does not always work and the number of complaints remains incredibly high, compounded by other issues such as the summer salary or maternity leaves.

“The problem with the summer salary is that the duration of the contract in the first year is 10 months. Therefore, the teacher is not entitled to the summer salary. Even if they renew their contract, they will be asked to resign in May and to sign a new contract in September so the school doesn’t have to pay salaries, social security and so on over the summer,” she told The Jordan Times.

Multiple challenges to address

According to several teachers, including Hadeel Kiswani, who works in Amman, schools always find alternative ways to circumvent this issue.

“If they are forced to pay the summer salary, they will make us work during the summer, or between semesters through the summer club,” she explained, stressing that “this often involves tasks beyond our job description or overtime which we are not compensated for”.

To counter that issue, Ahel has helped the women, who have over 3,000 members registered in their campaign, to set up the “My pay in the bank” action.

“When these women are paid in cash, they sometimes receive as little as $90 per month instead of the minimum JD220. If the money has to be transferred on their accounts, it will be trackable and schools will not be able to circumvent the law,” said Haj Ahmad, noting that the campaign also helped reduce the number of illegal termination of contracts for pregnant or women on maternity leave.

Despite several attempts by The Jordan Times, administrators of private schools refused to comment on the issue.

The Social Security Corporation and Ministry of Labour also voiced their support to the campaign, meeting regularly with their representatives over the past two years. 

A growing network of solidarity 

Started with 12 core members in the Irbid Governorate, the Stand Up campaign has now expanded to Amman, Zarqa, among others, and count some 300 active members, in addition to the 3,000 women registered in the campaign’s database.

“My entry into the campaign increased my ability to defend my colleagues and, most importantly, gave me tools to defend the right of women to work, It also prompted me to establish a new nursery project that helps provide women stability and continue working even when they have children,” said Najah Al Natour from Irbid.

Although they acknowledge the many benefits they got from this campaign, participants still voice their fear regarding job security. “We are still afraid by the lack of protection for teachers who dare to object to abuses,” said Natour, adding: “We have seen several women withdrawing from the campaign because of that or refusing to join because of their lack of confidence”.

However, many women have changed their attitude towards their employers, with Iman Al Madhoun saying “I have learned a lot about my rights and the importance of not giving them up. I developed the spirit of volunteerism and realised that every person can have an impact on society and will always see the results in the end.”

“Even when it is hard to see the results of your struggle, you need to continue believing that you will have an effect and that you are a starting point for others anyhow,” she continued.

For Ahel’s co-founder, this strength and solidarity is “admirable” and is the reason behind the sustainability of the campaign. “These women have built strong leadership capacities and strategic skills which is what makes their strength and will help them achieve their goals,” she said, urging the government to continue supporting these women in their action.

“We have heard promises, now we are waiting for concrete actions and measures to implement real change,” she concluded.

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday briefed members of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee on the progress of the Arab ministerial delegation's efforts to counter the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Chairing a meeting of the committee in Cairo, which was formed after the meeting of Arab foreign minister and Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Aboul Gheit in Amman last month, Safadi outlined Jordan's role under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah in addressing the consequences.  

Safadi also briefed the committee members about the joint Arab diplomatic efforts, since the Arab League’s extraordinary meeting in December, which denounced the US decision on Jerusalem as “null and void”.

The committee, chaired by Jordan, comprises 13 Arab countries and the Arab League secretary general.

In his speech, Safadi said that the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “is political and does not entail any right nor changes any longstanding  legal status” indicating that only nine countries out of the 193 UN members voted against the “international consensus on Jerusalem”.

The committee will continue work with the international community to ensure achieving the Palestinian rights and to curb the repercussions of the decision, said Safadi.

He stressed the importance of supporting UNRWA to continue its services to Palestinian refugees in education, healthcare and food. 

Safadi added that cutting the financial support to UNRWA will have “catastrophic consequences” on the entire region. “Who will carry the responsibility of depriving more than 250,000 Gazan students from attending school?” Safadi asked. He called on the international community to honour its responsibilities towards UNRWA.  

On the sidelines of the meeting, Safadi and Aboul Gheit discussed diplomatic efforts in response of the decision. 

During a press conference following the meeting, Safadi announced that the Arab ministerial delegation tasked with communicating with the international community regarding US’ Jerusalem move will meet with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU foreign ministers this month.

AMMAN — Jordan has reiterated that ending the Israeli occupation and the emergence of a sovereign Palestinian state is the sole path to peace. 

In remarks at Wednesday’s Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) meeting that was held in Brussels by Norway and the EU, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said that the envisioned state should be established in line with relevant terms of reference, especially the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy resolutions, within the June 4, 1967 lines and with East Jerusalem as its capital, to live side by side with Israel.

Safadi highlighted the importance of intensifying international efforts to launch an effective drive to work out a feasible solution, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He added that the meeting stressed the centrality of the conflict and its international repercussions.

Subsequently, he said, this highlights the importance of launching an intentional effort that engages Europe, the US, Japan, Russia, China and all countries to solve this conflict.  

The minister referred to His Majesty King Abdullah’s confirmation that Jerusalem with its status to followers of the three Abrahamic religions is the key to peace, stressing that the city has to be a symbol of peace rather than a field of occupation and despair.

He noted that the Norway-chaired committee was formed some 25 years ago at a time of hope to reach a peace that was possible based on the two-state solution. 

The current situation is characterised by absence of hope to reach peace through implementing the two-state solution, which is undermined by the unilateral Israeli procedures, Safadi noted.  

During the conference, that also addressed support for Gaza through launching economic projects, the minister said that Gaza’s people need schools, hospitals, jobs, and more importantly freedom and an independent state.

He also stressed the importance of sustaining support to UNRWA and enabling it to present vital services to refugees whose issue has to be solved under the final status negotiations, based on UN Resolution 194 and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Safadi also discussed the latest developments related to ending the stalemate in peace efforts with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Norway’s Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide. 

The AHLC is a 15-member committee that serves as the principal policy-level coordination mechanism for development assistance to the Palestinian people. The AHLC is chaired by Norway and co-sponsored by the EU and the US. In addition, the United Nations participates together with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The AHLC seeks to promote dialogue between donors, the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

AMMAN — The Jordan Labour Watch (JLW) on Sunday issued a statement calling for a review of the 2016 EU relaxed rules of origin for Jordanian exports to Europe, stressing that “the current terms of the agreement lack justice and fail to achieve the expected benefits for both Jordanian enterprises and their workers.”

 In July 2016, the EU and Jordan signed a 10-year deal under which manufacturers in Jordan can import up to 70 per cent of the raw materials used in production and still label the finished products as “Made in Jordan".

“Two years have passed since the agreement entered into force, and yet, the benefits that Jordan has obtained from it are very modest,” the statement said.

Previous reports by the EU confirm that Jordanian factories have not benefited much from the deal, stressing that “only two enterprises across the Kingdom have been able to export within the framework of the agreement until now.”

An official at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation told The Jordan Times that “to date, 11 Jordanian factories have met all the requirements under this joint decision and were granted an authorisation number allowing them to export to the EU,” adding that “from this group, three factories have been successful in exporting under this scheme to four EU countries with a total value of 1.9 million euro, and additional exports are expected in the coming few months”.

Economist Maher Mahrouq told The Jordan Times that “the EU relaxed rules of origin are neither fair nor useful,” adding that “they need to be revised as soon as possible in order to expand the sectors to which they are applied, as well as the period of the agreement itself”.

 “It is not feasible for companies to restructure their whole business to start exporting to Europe for a period of 10 years or less,” he added, calling for an extension of the deal period.

“There are a number of challenges preventing Jordanian companies from benefiting from the simplified rules of origin scheme,” a ministry official said, explaining that “these include the difficulties Jordanian manufacturers face in collecting the necessary market intelligence of the European export market and value chain, the lack of the required EU quality certifications, the limited matchmaking opportunities with European buyers, and the difficulty of finding qualified Syrian workers in order to meet the employment requirements”.

JLW Director Ahmad Awad pointed out “the need to reconsider the conditions imposed on factories wishing to export within the deal, including the requirement to employ Syrians as a 15 per cent of their total workforce”.

 In this regard, Awad noted the “reluctance” of Syrian employees to obtain permits to work in factories, explaining that “they fear the loss of their rights as refugees and especially the financial and in-kind assistance provided by UNHCR and other bodies, as well as their right to resettle in a third country.”

 “Many refugees are considering returning to their home countries in light of the past events, and in this scenario, it is essential for this rule to be reviewed,” Mahrouq said.

“The agreement is a unique opportunity provided by the EU as an integral component of the support for Jordan in light of the Syrian refugee crisis,” the EU delegation said in a statement to The Jordan Times, noting that “it is complementary to development efforts to improve the investment climate, create vocational education opportunities for Jordanians and Syrians in sectors that add value to the Jordanian economy, support private sector development and generate additional production capacity.”

“On the employment of Syrians, we are very appreciative of the work conducted by the Ministry of Labour to facilitate the provision of free work permits to Syrians,” the statement continued, noting that “we continue to work closely with the authorities to uphold transparency, awareness, and regulatory stability with regards to the rules that apply to Syrians, Jordanians, and migrant workers on the labour market.” 

 The JLW statement stressed the need to cancel the exemption on agricultural and food materials, noting that "eliminating this condition would contribute to an increase in the proportion of Jordanian exports, since the majority of the Kingdom's production is concentrated in agricultural and food products."

 “It is not fair to place exemptions in the products that we are allowed to export,” Mahrouq said, noting that “Jordan is a small country and, even if we exported the majority of our production, it would not suppose a threat to the European economies.”

“Several efforts are currently under way to improve the performance under the rules of origin decision,” the ministry official said, noting that “the government is currently in the final stages of negotiating an amendment to the agreement with the EU that aims to expand the geographic coverage of this decision beyond the current 18 industrial zones, to extend the period of this decision beyond the current 10 years, and to revise the Syrian labour requirements to make it easier for Jordanian manufacturers to meet the quota.”

“The agreement is at the beginning of its implementation and we are duly taking stock of the concerns raised to us by the Government of Jordan,” the EU said, adding that “we are in the process of looking into potential adjustments which would facilitate investment opportunities and access to the rules of origin scheme, therefore creating more opportunities for Jordanians  and Syrians in companies exporting to Europe.” 

AMMAN — Sustainable water solutions have been introduced to schools and public institutions in the northern governorates' host communities, which shelter the majority of Syrian refugees.

Under a year-long project concluded on Wednesday, a total of 38 public buildings were equipped with 17 rainwater harvesting systems and 28 grey water treatment units over the past year, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which implemented the project.

The project, dubbed "Enhancing the Resilience of Host Communities in Jordan by Promoting Sustainable Water Solutions", was implemented in Mafraq, Irbid, Jerash, Ajloun and Zarqa, according to the UNDP, which indicated that the project reached 14,000 and 60,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries.

The project, implemented at a cost of 396,000, is funded by the OPEC Fund for International Development.

A wastewater treatment system was also installed, 38 awareness sessions on water-related topics organised and two manuals on rainwater harvesting and grey water reuse released.

During the project's concluding workshop, Nidal Awran, UNDP's environment and climate change programme director, stressed the importance of the project in strengthening the resilience of host communities by providing certain technologies that ensure a sustainable supply of water.

"It is a response to the pressures on natural resources which became further strained with the influx of Syrian refugees," Awran said.

Noting that the project has been implemented in a record time, the UN official underlined that the grey water reuse units were locally manufactured by the Royal Scientific Society (RSS).

The project was implemented in partnership with the RSS, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and the Future Pioneers for Empowering Communities.

The RSS also prepared the manual on rainwater collection and grey water treatment and reuse, which Awran said "represents one of the vital outcomes of the project".

"The manual was compiled to serve a diverse target group, such as school and university students…, it is a reference that we hope authorities will benefit from and build on its content," Awran highlighted.

Up to 90 per cent of Syrian refugees in Jordan live among host communities, while the rest is accommodated in refugee camps, according to Salameh Mahasneh from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, who said that the annual water per capita share in Jordan stands at 147 cubic metres of water, which is well-below the international water poverty line of 1,000 cubic metres per year.

The total number of Syrians living in Jordan is estimated at 1.4 million, around 550,000 of whom are refugees who arrived in the Kingdom following the onset of the conflict in Syria in March 2011, according to official figures.

AMMAN — Jordan’s Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS Jordan) movement urged Jordanians not to sell their lands to the government as part of a plan to build a pipeline to bring gas from Israel to Jordan under the gas deal signed in 2016.

Meanwhile, landowners gave mixed reactions to the issue after they learnt of the plan. 

In September 2016, the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) signed a 15-year agreement with Noble Energy, a Houston-based company that holds the largest share in the Israeli Leviathan Gas Field, with the aim of receiving $10 billion worth of natural gas supplies.

Last week, the Department of Lands and Survey (DLS) published an ad in Al Rai newspaper, announcing that the Ministry of Energy acquired some lands along Irbid, Ramtha and Mafraq where the pipeline is expected to be built. However, there was no mentioning in the ad that the lands would be used for this particular unpopular project.  

In March 2016, it was reported that the Israel-Jordan joint pipeline was under construction near the Dead Sea, noting that it would transport natural gas from the Tamar field, 80km west of Israel's northern shores to the northern part of the Kingdom.

BDS Jordan urged citizens to refuse the decision through a message posted on Twitter. “The Zionist gas will slash your lands, farms and the heart of our dear Jordan by coercion. We call on you to reject the confiscation of the lands of your fathers for the future of our children as a refusal to the normalising agreement with the enemy,” the tweet read. 

Jumana Ismail, a member of BDS Jordan, said that the movement's stance has been steady since it started in 2014. “The residents of the areas [Irbid, Ramtha and Mafraq] refuse the decision, as the Jordanian community does,” she alleged. 

In previous remarks to The Jordan Times, MP Saleh Armouti said that the Energy Ministry promised to hand in a copy of the deal to the parliamentary energy committee after translating it into Arabic in May.

Jamal Qamweh, a member of the Lower House’s energy and mineral resources committee said that they did not receive the document yet.

Despite several attempts by The Jordan Times, the Ministry of Energy did not comment on the issue, with officials responding that only the minister can comment on this "sensitive issue" and he was not available. 

Other senior official also did not return the contacts made by The Jordan Times. 

The land owners themselves confirmed that they were contacted by authorities regarding the planned acquisition of private lands for the gas project. 

Some expressed their "strong" disagreement with the decision, while others said they have "no problem" with selling the lands.

Sami Qaraan, who inherited a land in Irbid’s Taibeh area along with his eight brothers, said they all strongly refuse the offer. However, he believes that the pipeline will be built regardless.

Qaraan said that the DSL’s surveyors came to the area three months ago, informing them about the project. “We consulted a well-known lawyer, who said that, theoretically, we have the right to register an objection but that, ultimately, the state has the right to own the lands as long as they are providing financial compensation.”

Yasser Qaraan, another resident of Taibeh said that he does not accept a pipeline carrying gas from the Zionist entity, noting "the government did not consult us and is taking our lands by force.”

Meanwhile, Abu Emad said he supports the project and does not mind selling his land as long as it is benefiting Jordan. 

Raed Hyasat, director of State Properties Department at DLS did not directly comment on the issue but noted that under the law, any lands needed for a governmental project that are in the interest of the community can be acquired by the state, which only accepts to consider objections by private owners within 15 days of publishing the ad.

Hyasat told The Jordan Times that the ownership in this case will be immediate and people will receive financial compensation. 

Since 2016, many demonstrations and boycotting campaigns have been held to express Jordanians' refusal of the gas deal.

According to NEPCO, the agreement will help save Jordan around $600 million per year.

AMMAN — A Royal Decree was issued on Wednesday, approving the decision by the Sharia Judicial Council to promote 78 judges to different ranks as of January 31, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported, adding that the names were published on its website.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Wednesday attended the event held by the Awqaf Ministry on the occasion of the International Interfaith Harmony Week, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.  Awqaf Minister Wael Arabiyat, Planning Minister Imad Fakhoury, Grand Mufti Mohammad Khalaileh, senior officials, representatives and military officers attended the event.

During his speech, Arabiyat said that Islam supports education and knowledge, coexistence, love and harmony, highlighting the importance of religious and ethnic diversity. The minister noted that harmony is a product of knowledge and a practice that involves the love of God and respect for one another. 

AMMAN — Residents of Palestinian refugee camps on Wednesday praised His Majesty King Abdullah’s efforts in defending Arab causes, especially the Palestinian cause.

On the occasion of His Majesty’s 56th birthday, heads of service committees at the camps issued statements praising King Abdullah’s efforts in defending the Palestinians’ legitimate rights of having a state on their national soil, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

They also highlighted the King’s initiatives to camp residents, including the allocation of 350 university seats for Palestinian refugees since 2000, and revamping more than 2,100 houses of underprivileged families.