15.7 percent of Jordanian women are breadwinners

Jordan

Published: 2021-03-21 15:21

Last Updated: 2024-04-23 23:05


15.7 percent of Jordanian women are breadwinners
15.7 percent of Jordanian women are  breadwinners

Ahead of Mother's Day, the Department of Statistics (DoS) provided detailed data on the successes of Jordanian women. According to them, they were "keen to provide detailed data on Jordanian women who head their families and highlight the [successes] of the most important demographic, social and economic characteristrics that characterize this group of women in Jordanian society."

The results of the survey showed an increase in the percentage of Jordanian women who act as breadwinners in their families from 12.3 percent in 2000 to 15.7 percent in 2019.

According to the DoS, this is due to the change in the social and economic roles that women assume in managing family affairs and making decisions.

Women over the age of 60 are most likely to head their families. In 2000, 37.6 percent of women over the age of 60 were the breadwinners in their families. Today, it is 56.5 percent.

74.3 percent of Jordanian women who head their families are widows, followed by married, single and then divorced women, with rates of 12.7, 7.6, and 5.2 percent respectively.

The survey showed a clear and substantial improvement in female educational levels over the past decade, as illiteracy rates among Jordanian women who head their families have significantly decreased from 47.1 percent in 2000 to 31.1 percent in 2019.

In Tafilah and Amman, 17.8 and 16.9 percent of women head their families. In Zarqa, 16.8 percent of women are the breadwinners. All three governorates see higher percentages than the national rate of 15.7 percent. In Aqaba, the rate is lowest at 10.2 percent.

According to DoS, this is due to internal and external migration, the difference in social cultures and the economic level from one governorate to another.