Study entitled: Violence in the workplace environment and documented support systems through civil society interventions

Study within the framework of

the "Safe paths" project – Policies Against Violence in the Workplace Environment, implemented by SIGI with support from the African Women's Development Fund

prepared by: Rania Al-Suwait

Executive Summary 

The overall objective of the study is to identify violence against women in the workplace and work environment, in addition to identifying the available support systems to be provided by Civil Society Organizations and Local Associations in the targeted areas of the project in the three governorates (Amman, Zarqa and Irbid). It also aims to assess the extent to which these organizations meet the needs of female workers from their perspective.

To achieve the overall objective of the study and reach the expected outcomes, this study has been divided into three main components:

First: Women working in the Unorganized Sector; Here, the study targeted working women in the Agricultural Sector, as this sector employs a large percentage of women.

Second:  Women working in the Organized Sector, where the Industrial Sector was chosen, as it employs the largest percentage of female workers, especially in the fields of Textile and Food Manufacturing.

Third: Civil Society Organizations working with women, to identify the current situation of services provided by Civil Society Organizations and the extent to which they meet the needs of the targeted groups from the perspective of these organizations.

An integrated methodology was used, combining literature review with both quantitative and qualitative research. A desk review was conducted regarding women's work in both the Organized and Unorganized Sectors. To design research tools, including questionnaire for female workers and another electronic questionnaire for civil society organizations. Both questionnaires were reviewed by an arbitration committee consisting of academics and representatives from SIGI. The questionnaire was tested before implementation, measuring the reliability coefficient (Alpha Cronbach), which was (0.78), indicating the reliability and consistency of the questionnaire.

For the field research, data collection was conducted in collaboration with a field team consisting of individuals from the targeted areas, recruited through Civil Society Organizations. The team was trained on the questionnaires under the supervision of the main researcher, with direct review of the surveys to ensure comprehensive data collection.

During the field research, (5) Focus Group Discussion sessions were held with female workers in both the Agricultural and Industrial Sectors. Additionally, (10) semi-structured individual meetings were conducted with relevant stakeholders, including representatives from labor rights organizations such as unions and Civil Society Organizations. A guideline was specifically prepared for this purpose.

To obtain a study sample in the Agricultural Sector, given the lack of official data, we were able to access available sample of working women from the targeted areas.

200 Questionnaires were distributed in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations operating in the areas, resulting in 159 responses. In the Industrial Sector, a stratified random sample was selected, gathering 465 responses from female workers in the Textile and Food Manufacturing Sectors.

To identify the support systems available from Civil Society Organizations, questionnaires were sent to 100 Civil Society Organizations working with women in the targeted study areas, only 50 organizations responded.

Once the information and data were collected, a descriptive analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for (SPSS) software to obtain the best insight from the data and achieve the desired study objectives.

During the preparation of the study, several challenges were encountered, including obtaining sufficient data on cases of violence and sexual harassment due to the fear of workers from supervisors, as well as the sensitivity of the subject. Many factories refused to allow the research team into the workplace, and some workers were afraid to provide any information for fear of its impact on their work. As a result, sometimes, in collaboration with local community coordinators, we had to hold meetings on holidays.

The most significant findings in the Agricultural Sector revealed, that the vast majority of female workers earn wages below the minimum wage, relying mainly on the National Assistance Fund to receive their salaries due to insufficient income from agricultural work. Additionally, women in the agricultural sector lack social protection mechanisms that ensure their safety and stability in the workplace environment. The work environment also lacks the availability of general occupational safety tools and first aid, in addition to the poor suitability of transportation in terms of their carrying capacity and comfort. The study also found that there are no employment contracts guaranteeing their rights, with wages ranging between one to one and a quarter dinars per hour. Most workers receive their wages weekly, often experiencing delays due to the sale of the produce and the availability of financial liquidity, leading to constant anxiety until the sale of the produce. Furthermore, results indicated dissatisfaction with the working environment among female workers, but their economic conditions and urgent need for work compelled them to continue. The results showed that more than half (68%) of women had been subjected to insults and humiliation during their work, which made a large percentage of them constantly think about withdrawing from their work. The results also showed that a third of female workers (38%) are always and sometimes exposed to verbal sexual violence, actions, or sexual connotations. The results in the agricultural component concluded that the majority of working women who are exposed to violence do not complain to the police or civil society institutions, but rather resort to their female colleagues to seek advice, and the majority prefer to remain silent for fear of losing their work. Additionally, there were no awareness programs for female workers regarding violence or harassment in the workplace, despite a considerable proportion experiencing physical violence, verbal abuse, and sexual gestures within those farms. Verbal violence, such as insults, ridicule, mockery, and belittlement (humiliation), had the highest occurrence.  

The results of the Industrial Sector component showed an improvement in the work environment compared to previous studies. The results indicated that many factories provided medical clinics, rest areas, and dedicated health facilities for women, as well as transportation services, in addition to awareness lectures. However, there is still a shortage in providing the basics of social protection such as health insurance; In addition to lower wages, lack of career development for female workers, and mandatory overtime.  It should be noted that overtime work is regulated in accordance with the Jordanian Labor Law, and there is no explicit text in the law obligating employees to work overtime, but there are controls and conditions for this type of work. The law specifies the number of daily and weekly working hours, so that the daily working hours do not exceed 8 hours or 48 hours in a week, there must be approval from the male or female employee to work overtime, and they should not be forced. Male and female employees are compensated for overtime hours at a rate higher than the regular wage, so that the wage for each additional hour of work is 125% of the regular wage if the overtime is during regular workdays, and 150% if it is during holidays and official days.

The results also showed that despite the efforts made to improve the work environment and its outcomes, there are still many areas that must be worked on.

 The results showed the most important forms of violence to which female workers are exposed, as the percentage of verbal violence reached (40%), especially by male and female supervisors, followed by sexual harassment through sexual gestures, at a rate of (19%).

As for the organizations working with women, the results showed that most Civil Society Organizations working with women still lack specialization and inclusivity in providing services specifically for women in the workplace environment. This negatively affects the quality and continuity of the services provided, in addition to weak coordination between relevant parties regarding labor complaints and the absence of a clear mechanism to monitor work between relevant parties. Furthermore, it was revealed that the majority of organizations do not provide any services for women subjected to violence in the workplace, as their role is limited to general awareness programs and referrals.

The main recommendations in the Agricultural Sector emphasized on conducting inspection visits to areas where farmers operate to ensure compliance with legislation and providing technical support to farm owners to assist them in complying with occupational safety and health requirements and providing safe transportation for male and female workers. Additionally, conducting campaigns to gain support for the activation and implementation of Law No. 19 of 2021 - the Agricultural Workers Instructions.

In the Industrial Sector, the most important recommendations to adhere to the legal provisions contained in the Labor Law regarding overtime and activating the complaints committee in factories to enhance the trust of female workers in the management and address the problems they face. The study also emphasized the importance of activating the role of unions and labor inspectors to deal with violence issues more seriously to build trust among female workers in the work environment and ensure the creation of a suitable work environment and career path that enables women to achieve equal rights while guaranteeing access to justice.

As for the recommendations specific to Civil Society Organizations, the study emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts among relevant institutions involved in women's work by establishing an integrated work mechanism and a unified monitoring, archiving, and referral system to ensure that female workers access their rights. Additionally, the study highlighted the importance of working on providing a reliable database to draw upon for future policies and programs. Furthermore, the study underscored the importance of building the capacity of organizations to provide specialized and integrated services for abused women, contributing to enhancing the quality and sustainability of the services provided in the future.

Finally, it was emphasized the importance of conducting advocacy campaigns and periodic awareness and shedding light on violations affecting female workers to find solutions that ensure their rights are upheld.

للاطلاع على الدراسة كاملة: 

دراسة العنف في مكان وبيئة العمل - اعداد رانيا السويطي - مشروع مسارات آمنة - الصندوق الأفريقي