Social security reforms proposed through JoWomenomics position paper

AMMAN — JoWomenomics, through the Feminist Integral Centre for Research and Innovation (FICRI), on Tuesday held a session to discuss the position paper on the amendments to Social Security Law’s discriminatory provisions against women.

Minister of State for Legal Affairs Wafaa Bani Mustafa, Jordanian National Committee for Women Secretary General Salma Nims, JoWomenomics founder Mayyada Abu Jaber, JoWomenomics’ advisory board and a number of parliamentarians attended the session. 

The session presented a community-based study on social security and the challenges facing Jordanian women which was conducted by FICRI, a project funded by the Human Rights Fund of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Jordan.

In December last year, JoWomenomics, an independent non-profit organisation, launched its position paper with the objective of advancing women’s economic presence and rights, making social security more inclusive and equitable.

The position paper included a number of items of Social Security Law which are recommended for amendment. This included the addition of family support on the higher salary of the spouses by mutual agreement (in case both have social security coverage) and increasing pensions for women to equal to the family support raise. This is in case their current or former husbands did not receive their family support raise.

The position paper also included the adjustment of women’s retirement age to 55-60 (optional), with their employers obliged to register them to social security. Alongside this, children of Jordanian women would be allowed optional social security subscriptions. Women would also be granted paid maternity leave, provided they have a record of six to eight subscriptions regardless of their timing. 

In her address, Bani Mustafa said that “social security plays an important role in empowering women economically and socially”, noting that the revision of laws governing women’s economic participation is a crucial requirement through which participation can be achieved.

The minister also emphasised upon the importance of sustained law amendments to stay abreast of existing developments, maintaining what has been already achieved.

Social security experts, civil society representatives, the press and other media attended the session.