Calls rise to establish more day care centres to enhance working mothers’ labour force participation

AMMAN — The Kingdom needs 40,000 day-care centres to care for over one million children in the Kingdom, according to the Ministry of Social Development. 

The Parliamentary Committee for Women and Family Affairs on Monday met with representatives from the Ministry of Social Development to discuss the ministry’s role in providing support for people with disabilities, as well the National Aid Fund’s plans to support low-income families.

Talks also went over the licensing process for private sector day care centres, as reported by the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

“The ministry seeks to facilitate the establishment of private sector day-care centres, as there are 1.4 million children in need of day-care centres in the Kingdom,” Barq Dmour, secretary general at the Social Development Ministry, said during the meeting. 

“Day care centres ensure a better working environment, as well as better female participation in the labour force,” Ahmad Awad, director of the Jordan Labour Watch, told The Jordan Times. 

Awad added that ensuring safe care for the children of working women as well as paying attention to women’s work conditions and labour rights can improve women’s economic participation. 

“Women’s participation in the labour market is very weak, and the absence of day care facilities is one of the reasons why women don’t join the labour market or withdraw from it,” Hanan Shaheen, human resources director at a private company in Amman, told The Jordan Times. 

She added that without access to licensed facilities, women are faced with a choice to leave their children alone at home or send them to unregistered nurseries that may not be following safe health practices.  

Article 72 of Jordan’s Labour Law states: “The employer who employs a minimum of 20 female married employees should provide a suitable place under the custody of a qualified governess to care for the employees’ children of less than four years of age provided that the number is not less than 10 children.”

“We need to increase female labour market participation rates,” Awad added. 

He stated that providing secured maternity benefits and affordable and dependable childcare would facilitate women’s entry into the labour market and also encourage women who are already working to maintain their employment status without risking their domestic role.