Voices from the Farms: Understanding Child Labor in the Agricultural Sector (Jordan Valley and Mafraq)

This study examines child labor in Jordan's agricultural sector in Mafraq and the Jordan Valley, analyzing the socioeconomic, cultural, and institutional drivers shaping children's work, living conditions, and education. It offers evidence-based recommendations to support targeted policies and interventions aimed at reducing child labor and improving children's well-being.

About this study

A field-based examination of child labor in two of Jordan’s most agriculturally significant regions: the Jordan Valley and Mafraq governorate. The study moves beyond aggregate labor-force estimates to document the everyday conditions of children working in agriculture — their hours, their wages, their schooling, and the household economies they support.

What the study covers

Patterns of work — crop cycles, age and gender of workers, role within the family enterprise.
Drivers — household economic pressure, refugee status, weak alternative livelihoods, school dropout.
Institutional dynamics — labor inspection gaps, the informal employment chain, NGO and government response.
Recommendations for targeted intervention design and protective policy reform.