Stories
By:
  • Clement Gibon | Communications and Programme Support Officer

In a lively community center in Amman, the atmosphere is one of mutual trust and compassion. The room is filled with Kenyan women, who have gathered to share their stories, challenges and aspirations as domestic workers in Jordan. At the center of this gathering are migrant domestic workers themselves, who gently guide the discussions. The women speak in Swahili, their voices carrying the weight of experiences that are too often ignored. 

For years, Jordan has been home to many domestic workers, primarily from South-East Asia and East Africa. These workers play a crucial role in the daily lives of many Jordanian families while contributing to Jordan’s economy and to the economies of their countries of origin through remittances. While there are many positive effects of their migration choices, sometimes they face numerous risks and challenges, and at times difficult working conditions.  

Until now, there has been little primary data to truly understand the needs and experiences of this migrant population in Jordan. Although approximately 55,000 individuals are legally registered each year as domestic workers with the Ministry of Labour, this figure may not fully capture the entire migrant workforce, as many are undocumented, posing challenges for the government of Jordan in providing comprehensive support to all migrant workers. 

The limited information on migrant domestic workers’ presence and needs has made it difficult to develop and implement policies and services that would uphold decent work standards and improve workers’ wellbeing.  

“We believe migration can benefit all, and that effective initiatives and policies are grounded in evidence-based approaches." explains Tajma Kurt, IOM Jordan Chief of Mission.  

To bridge this information gap, IOM Jordan, with support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Jordan and the IOM Development Fund, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development and the Embassies of key countries of origin, has implemented an innovative, participatory, and people-centered project. In this initiative, migrant domestic workers themselves gather the missing evidence and contribute to its analysis. Diplomatic missions were consulted to better understand the current gaps in data available, and the tools were developed with the support of a technical board composed of non-governmental actors and academia working on migration. 

Consultations with diplomatic missions of Philippines and other countries of origin of migrant workers, November 2023 (Photo: IOM Jordan 2023)

Over the course of several months in 2024, IOM trained 22 migrant domestic workers of eight nationalities to engage with their communities and better understand their needs. They underwent specialized training, learning how to conduct interviews, formulate relevant questions and organized data collection sessions. 

“As a community leader, I serve as a key source of information. I reach out to other domestic workers within my community, and together with IOM, we explore how to discuss their issues and identify possible solutions,” shared Layla*, a domestic worker from Kenya, who has been living in Amman since 2010. Migrant domestic workers not only conducted the interviews but also played a significant role in analyzing the data, ensuring that migrants’ voices were truly represented. 

“I have learned a great deal from other communities too, and even within my own community, I discovered things I was previously unaware of,” shared Rayya*. This participatory approach has been transformative. By placing migrants at the center of the project, IOM has ensured that the data collected is both accurate and reflective of the real needs of the community. In doing so, IOM will be able to utilize this information to better develop impactful, evidence-based follow-up programming and advocacy efforts to better serve this migrant community in Jordan, alongside relevant non-governmental partners and government counterparts. This could involve developing tailored and comprehensive orientation and information programming for domestic workers entering Jordan as well as enhancing their access to basic services, including health and protection and contributing to improve ethical recruitment practices, involving recruitment agencies in Jordan and in countries of origin. 

Layla, a community leader from Kenya is debriefing the data she collected with an IOM officer Amman, March 2024 (Photo: IOM Jordan 2024)
Part of the data collection involves using storyboards to illustrate various situations MDWs may encounter, adapting the approach to all levels of literacy. Amman, July 2024 (Photo: IOM Jordan 2024).

The project has engaged with more than 250 migrant domestic workers and will yield important insights, including on decision-making of migrant domestic workers’ work preferences and mobility. In the coming months, IOM will finalize consultations with migrant domestic worker communities. The goal is to create a comprehensive picture of the presence and needs of migrant domestic workers in Jordan—one that can guide policy decisions and lead to tangible improvements in their lives. For now, the focus remains on the women, whose voices are finally being heard, and whose stories are beginning to paint a picture of migrants’ journeys in Jordan.  

“Migration will always continue,” and difficulties will arise, “but if we understand the root causes, we can work together to address them—from the country of origin to the destination," concluded Layla. 

 

*Names have been changed to respect the privacy of participant domestic workers 

  

SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
SDG 5 - Gender Equality