Outline of the Project

Project Name

Project of Economic Empowerment and Social Participation of Persons with Disabilities

Country

Jordan

Date of R/D Signed

2 August 2016

Project Period

27 January 2017 – 26 January 2020 (3 years)

Counterpart Organization in Jordan

Ministry of Labour of Jordan (MOL)

Target Groups

• Department of Employment of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)
• Directorate of Employment, MOL
• Organizations having Job Coaches^[1]

Indirect Beneficiaries

• Job seekers and employees with disabilities
• Employers of PWDs

Project Site

Around Amman

Background

According to the census conducted in 2015, population of Jordanian national is approximately 6.6 million, and prevalence of any degree of functional disability accounts to about 11 percent of the population of 5 years old and above. Government of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (hereinafter referred to as "GOHKJ") recognizes support for PWDs) as one of the priority issues. GOHKJ ratified Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, and has been improving legislation to promote the rights of PWDs. On the other hand, social participation and economic empowerment of PWDs still needs to be addressed. Opportunity for PWDs to be employed is still limited due to various barriers, such as inaccessible environment, discrimination, lack of understanding by employers, limited opportunity for education and training and so forth. As a result, only 16 percent of working-age population of PWDs is employed. Although High Level Committee consists of MOL, the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) and Disabled People's Organizations (DPOs) was established in 2014 to promote social participation of PWDs, capacity development of these organizations and human resources is still needed.

JICA expert, "Advisor for Disability Affairs" has been deployed at MOL, and supporting MOL to promote employment of PWDs through providing advices for High Level Committee, training for human resources for accessibility audit, awareness raising among staff of MOL and Employment Offices as well as developing their capacity to raise awareness among employers. In 2015, Advisor for Disability Affairs had organized a Job Coach seminar inviting the resource persons from Malaysia who were trained in the JICA's project on Job Coach in that country (2005-2015). Job Coach Manual developed in that project in Malaysia had been modified to suit to the context of Jordan, and translated into Arabic language.

To further promote employment of PWDs, MOL had requested technical cooperation project. Through the cooperation up to now, skills are transferred to Jordanian counterparts in terms of accessibility audit and awareness raising. On the other hand, Job Coach Service in Jordan has not been very well structured yet. Some NGOs are providing Job Coach Service, but the scale is very limited, service level is varied among NGOs, and initiatives are scattered. Considering the current situation and the history of Jordanian efforts, institutionalization of Job Coach Service and strengthening of capacity of Job Coaches could be an effective approach to economically empower PWDs in Jordan.

Overall Goals

Social participation of PWDs in the form of employment is promoted.

Project Purpose

MOL's capacity and system to implement activities for promoting employment of PWDs are strengthened.

Outputs

1. MOL's capacity to promote peer counseling^[2] for empowerment of PWDs is strengthened.
2. MOL's capacity to implement activities for improving accessibility to employment of PWDs is strengthened.
3. MOL's capacity to implement employment support through Job Coach Service is strengthened.
4. MOL develops network to promote Job Coach Service, and share experiences with related agencies.

Activities

1-1	Implement peer counselor training
1-2	Strengthen the capacity of MOL to promote peer counseling

2-1	Develop resources (human and material) to implement Disability Equality Training (DET[3]) for awareness raising among employers (both public and private sector) to promote employment of PWDs
2-2	MOL implements DET to employers
2-3	MOL implements "Guidebook on Employment of PWDs"[4] (including accessibility check and career counseling)
2-4	MOL monitors and evaluates the progress of implementation of "Guidebook on Employment of PWDs"

3-1	Form Job Coach Service Working Group
3-2	Develop human resources who provide Job Coach Service (NGOs, government organizations, private companies)
3-3	Develop system to provide Job Coach Service
3-4	Implement Job Coach Service
3-5	MOL monitors and evaluates Job Coach Service

4-1	Develop network among Job Coaches
4-2	Share experiences and lessons learned in the Project among relevant organizations including neighboring countries.

Input

(1) Input by JICA

1. Dispatch of Experts
   - Chief Advisor (Job Coach)
   - Coordinator/Empowerment
   - Short term experts as necessary
2. Training
   Job Coach, DET, Peer counseling and other trainings as necessary
   Training will be held in Jordan, Japan, and the third country.
3. Machinery and Equipment
   Procurement of equipment necessary for implementation of the Project activities. The detailed contents, specifications and quantity of the equipment will be discussed in principle every year between the JICA experts and the Jordanian counterpart personnel, based on the annual plan of the Project within the allocated budget of the Japanese Fiscal Year.

(2) Input by MOL

1. Services of MOL's counterpart personnel and administrative personnel
2. Suitable office space with necessary equipment;
3. Supply or replacement of machinery, equipment, instruments, vehicles, tools, spare parts and any other materials necessary for the implementation of the Project other than the equipment provided by JICA;
4. Means of transport for the JICA experts for official travel within Jordan;
5. Information for obtaining medical service;
6. Credentials or identification cards;
7. Available data (including maps and photographs) and information related to the Project;
8. A part of running expenses necessary for the implementation of the Project;
9. Expenses necessary for transportation within Jordan of the equipment referred to in "Input 1-(c)" as well as for the installation, operation and maintenance thereof; and
10. Necessary facilities to the JICA experts for the remittance as well as utilization of the funds introduced into Jordan from Japan in connection with the implementation of the Project