As women make up 73% of the workforce in the industry, Better Work Jordan and partners have supported the establishment of daycare facilities in different garment factories across Jordan to help increase women’s economic participation and improve the enterprises’ profitability.
Although the number of daycare facilities in the Jordanian garment industry increased to nine in 2019, of which four are operating in “satellite units” across Jordan, Better Work Jordan assessments found 19% non-compliance among assessed factories which failed to adhere to laws governing daycare facilities. More work needs to be done to promote women and family-friendly environments inside factories. Many factory managers are reporting the positive impact of providing daycare facilities.
In 2018, Maliban factory management contracted a childcare facility in the local community to care for the children of working mothers. Having started with 20 working mothers in 2018, the factory now has 33 on the production line. “This experience made female workers more comfortable to stay in their jobs, but it also provided an opportunity to build the capacity of the local community”, said Mohammed Qutaishat, Maliban Factory Manager, about the programme.
Hanan Khawaldeh, a 37-year-old mother of four children and a supervisor in the Needle Craft factory, shares her story: “I would not have been able to continue working if there was no nursery in the factory.” When her daughter Bailasan was born, she couldn’t find a suitable nursery close to home to take care of her. “Now, as I take my daughter with me to the nursery next to the factory, things are getting better. I can see her and check on her whenever I need to.”