Planning Ministry reviews population council’s work progress

AMMAN — Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury, who is also the chairman of the board of directors of the Higher Council for Population (HPC), has chaired the periodic meeting of the council members.

Ministers and representatives of the relevant national bodies attended the meeting, where the members outlined the population opportunity policy document that was prepared on the basis of the 2000 Census of Population and Housing to be approved by the next week, according to a ministry statement.

The document was adopted earlier by the National Steering Committee and will be referred to the Council of Ministers for approval.

The population opportunity will appear when the rate of growth of the working-age population (individuals aged 15-64 years) begins to significantly exceed the growth rate of dependents in the age group under 15 and above 65 years, which is expected to peak in Jordan in 2040, the statement said.

The members discussed the achievements of HPC during the third quarter of 2017 and the future projects related to supporting population and development policies.

Fakhoury noted in the statement HPC’s role in following up on population issues, especially the population opportunity policies, and stressed the importance of collective efforts of national public and private institutions to support the council to implement its projects, which aim to face the population challenges and secure a proper environment for improving social and economic conditions of Jordanians.

The minister noted that the results of study on female under-age marriage were published and that recommendations were approved by the Cabinet, adding that the council will prepare an executive plan during the last quarter of this year, the statement continued.

He added that the council will conduct a study on the youth who are entering the labour market including the concepts of pioneering and vocational work in school curricula.  

Maysoon Zu’bi, HPC’s secretary general, outlined the council’s achievements in 2017, noting that it is currently preparing a study on the demographic characteristics of Syrians in Jordan and their impact on the labour market, according to the statement.

She explained that the HPC was able to secure the necessary funding through the Dutch Research and Studies Platform to carry out a number of studies including some in the field of reproductive health.

Zu’bi explained that the council has developed the Population Research Database website in Arabic and English, and is working on following up on reproductive health indicators and population opportunities, as well as the development of the National Population Information Strategy for the years 2018-2022, the statement read.

She noted that the council will organise an international conference on dealing with refugees, which will be attended by representatives from several EU countries, and local community organisations. 

Members of the HPC include the Higher Education minister, minister of Social Development, minister of Labor, minister of Awqaf, minister of Health, minister of Education, secretary general of the Ministry of Youth, Director general of the Vocational Training Foundation, secretary general of the Higher Council for Population, representative of the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development and two members from the private sector.