Ensuring the protection of Ethiopian migrant workers in Jordan
The ILO, through the BRMM programme, provided support to Ethiopia's firm mission of strengthening the protection mechanism for Ethiopian migrant workers in Jordan.
3 August 2023
The Ministry of Labour and Skills safeguards the rights of Ethiopian migrant workers through the conclusion of the revised Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Jordan during the high-level visit in Jordan from July 8th to 13th, 2023. The International Labour Organization (ILO), through the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM) programme, provided support to the Ethiopia's firm mission of strengthening the protection mechanism for Ethiopian migrant workers in Jordan. This venture was a high-level delegation mission led by H.E Muferihat Kamil, the Minister of Labour and Skills of Ethiopia, accompanied by officials from the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ethiopian Overseas Private Employment Agencies Federation.
The Ministry of Labour and Skills has been actively fostering overseas employment prospects for Ethiopian citizens. The focus extends particularly to countries where the demand for skilled and semi-skilled labour exists. As Jordan has progressively emerged as a pivotal hub for overseas employment, offering substantial opportunities for employment, the Ministry of Labour and Skills had initiated negotiations with its counterpart in Jordan to revise the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding concerning employing Ethiopian Workers in Jordan. The revised agreement significantly broadens its scope, now encompassing both semi-skilled and skilled labour. Furthermore, it applies to all workers who ventured to Jordan for employment even before the conclusion of this ground-breaking MoU. Notably, the agreement stipulates a mutually agreed-upon minimum wage, ensuring fair compensation for Ethiopian workers. To further enhance the employment experience, the MoU incorporates a standard and uniform contract of employment, explicitly defining a specific list of duties, particularly benefiting domestic workers.
The ILO also played a pivotal role by providing technical input on the draft MoU, in addition to supporting the visit. The invaluable input ensured alignment with international labour standards and guidelines on bilateral labour migration agreements. This collaborative effort goes beyond the borders of Jordan, with the ILO's commitment extending to agreements between Ethiopia and Lebanon and ongoing negotiations between Ethiopia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as Somalia and Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry of Labour and Skills has been actively fostering overseas employment prospects for Ethiopian citizens. The focus extends particularly to countries where the demand for skilled and semi-skilled labour exists. As Jordan has progressively emerged as a pivotal hub for overseas employment, offering substantial opportunities for employment, the Ministry of Labour and Skills had initiated negotiations with its counterpart in Jordan to revise the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding concerning employing Ethiopian Workers in Jordan. The revised agreement significantly broadens its scope, now encompassing both semi-skilled and skilled labour. Furthermore, it applies to all workers who ventured to Jordan for employment even before the conclusion of this ground-breaking MoU. Notably, the agreement stipulates a mutually agreed-upon minimum wage, ensuring fair compensation for Ethiopian workers. To further enhance the employment experience, the MoU incorporates a standard and uniform contract of employment, explicitly defining a specific list of duties, particularly benefiting domestic workers.
The ILO also played a pivotal role by providing technical input on the draft MoU, in addition to supporting the visit. The invaluable input ensured alignment with international labour standards and guidelines on bilateral labour migration agreements. This collaborative effort goes beyond the borders of Jordan, with the ILO's commitment extending to agreements between Ethiopia and Lebanon and ongoing negotiations between Ethiopia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as Somalia and Saudi Arabia.