Amman:The Social Security Corporation (SSC), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the World Bank convened a dialogue session to discuss the expansion of maternity insurance and childcare support systems.
According to Jordan News Agency, Acting SSC Director General Shaman Majali emphasized the need for social security policies to evolve in order to better support working mothers and increase women’s participation in the economy.
Currently, women make up 28 percent of Jordan’s active social security contributors, with 458,811 out of 1.67 million insured workers being female. Majali provided statistics on maternal support, noting that 91,587 female workers have received maternity benefits since the program’s inception. This figure includes 11,969 beneficiaries last year and 9,390 so far in 2026.
In terms of childcare support through the Ri’aya program, 38,401 mothers have benefited from home care and nursery support services. Enrollment in these services has increased from 4,835 beneficiaries last year to 4,976 this year.
Reem Aslan, head of the ILO’s Decent Work for Women (DW4W) program, praised Jordan’s maternity insurance for its crucial role in safeguarding women’s health and economic status. She highlighted that international labor standards view maternity protection as a comprehensive blend of healthcare, income security, and family support.
Participants in the session also examined research on the maternal support system and discussed potential policy changes. These changes include modifying eligibility criteria, increasing maternity compensation, and expanding access to subsidized childcare.
