Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan

ILO trains contractors on implementing Employment Intensive Investment Programmes in Jordan’s northern governorates

As part of its response to the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan, the ILO is training a group of local contractors to oversee the implementation of a pilot programme that aims to create jobs amongst refugees and their host communities. The programme will be the first of its kind in the country.

The ILO is training a group of local contractors to oversee the implementation of a pilot Employment Intensive Investment Programme that aims to create jobs amongst Syrian refugees and their host communities and improve local infrastructure in the northern Jordanian governorates of Irbid and Mafraq.

The two-week training of contractors will provide participants with knowledge on labour-based technology, which is an approach suited for implementing road maintenance in developing areas, by employing local men and women, while maintaining acceptable quality standards.

Following the training, contractors will begin work with local residents in the two governorates. In Irbid, the work will focus on improving agricultural feeder roads and in Mafraq, the work will focus on building water catchment cisterns for the poorest farmers.

The ILO initiatives are based on participatory value chain assessments in Mafraq and Irbid. The work is being done in collaboration with the Ministries of Public Works and Agriculture.