Former Minister of Labor lectures at Royal Jordanian National Defense College

 

On Thursday, former Minister of Labor, Dr. Atef Odeibat said during his lecture for scholars in the Defense  course 15and War course24 at Royal Jordanian National Defense College entitled "Poverty and Unemployment in the Kingdom and its Impact on National Security in Jordan". He also said that the globally economic and social concept of the is measured by the extent which the individual in society can gratification his basic needs to live in dignity.

 

He added that the concept of the poverty line and its measurement level in the society vary from society to another and from one historical stage to another. In 2008, the minimum line of poverty which the individual becomes poor in the economic and social sense was the individual gain of 680 JDs, while in 2012 it rose to 814 JDs to be able to satisfy his basic needs of food, housing, transportation and education and not to fall below the poverty line.

 

In 2006, there was reports that 13 percent of the population was below the poverty line. And in 2008, it had risen to 13.8 percent and now it is 14.4 percent and should not increase because it will erode this class.

Related to the subject of unemployment in Jordan, he said that Jordan has a quarter of a million unemployed person while there are one million migrant workers at the same time, which that needs an urgent solution where the unemployment rate in Jordan between 2005-2015 to become 12% and recorded an unprecedented rise during the year 2016. The unemployment became 15.3% during the first quarter of 2017 and rose to be 18.2% during the second quarter of the same year.

He also clarified that unemployment rate is higher among females compared with males and rises among bachelor's degree holders compared to those who are below the high school.  66 percent of job opportunities were created by the Jordanian market go to those whom hold below secondary level.  Unemployment females in Jordan ranked as 16th out of 217 countries although the proportion of female education in Jordan among females is the highest in the world.

 

In the end of lecture , in presence of Brig. Nasser Al-Mheerat and Directing staff there was an extended discussion which guest speaker answered the scholars questions.