Terms of Reference: Development and Publication of a Policy Paper on IFI Commitments and Women’s Economic Participation in Jordan

1. **Background and Context**

Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU), Raya and Kvinna till Kvinna are co-implementing a program

as part of a consortium aimed at strengthening feminist movement against gender inequalities

in Jordan.

JWU is a Jordanian organization and is one of the most prominent and influential women’s

organizations in the Arab world and has established strong networks with women’s

movements, both nationally and internationally. Raya is a leading Jordanian civil society

organization dedicated to addressing gender inequality in the world of work. Kvinna till Kvinna

is Swedish non-profit women rights organization that supports women in conflict affected

areas to increase women's power and influence.

As part of the program, the consortium aims to develop a policy paper examining Jordan’s

commitments to the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including International

Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, and their implications for women’s economic

participation, with a specific focus on the care economy and social protection.

Jordan is currently undergoing policy discussions and anticipated amendments to the Social

Security Law, which may have direct implications on women’s access to social protection,

childcare support mechanisms, and labour market participation. These reforms intersect with

broader IFI-supported programs and fiscal frameworks, making it critical to assess their

gendered impact.

RAYA has developed a strong evidence base on the care economy, childcare systems, and

women’s labour force participation. Building on this, the assignment will analyze how IFI

related commitments and reforms—particularly in relation to social protection and labor

policies—affect women’s economic inclusion.

**2. Objective of the Assignment**

To produce an evidence-based policy paper that:

- Assesses Jordan’s commitments under IFIs related interventions
- Analyzes their implications for women’s economic participation
- Examines the potential impact of Social Security Law amendments
- Identifies gaps, risks, and opportunities, particularly within the care economy
- Provides actionable policy recommendations
- Participate in roundtable discussions with key stakeholders, and lead on discussions of findings and recommendations

**3. Scope of Work**

The consultant, in coordination with Kvinna till Kvinna and RAYA, will:

A. Desk Review and Analysis

- Review IFI related agreements, policy frameworks, and supported reforms in Jordan the past 5-10 years
- Analyze relevant provisions of the Social Security Law and proposed amendments
- Review RAYA’s existing research, past policy papers, accountability reports and data on the care economy and women’s employment

B. Gender and Care Economy Analysis

- Assess how fiscal and social protection reforms impact:
- Women’s labor force participation
- Access to childcare and care services
- Informal and care sector workers

C. Stakeholder Engagement

- Support the design and facilitation of a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders

(e.g., IMF, World Bank, SSC, civil society, experts)

- Integrate insights from discussions into the analysis

D. Policy Paper Development

- Produce a structured policy paper including:
- Overview of IFI commitments and national reforms
- Gendered impact analysis
- Identification of policy gaps and risks
- Clear, actionable recommendations

**4. Institutional Arrangements**

- The consultant will be contracted by Kvinna till Kvinna
- The consultant is expected to carry this work hybrid
- Work will be conducted in close coordination with RAYA and Kvinna till Kvinna, which

will provide data, research, and technical input

Regular check-ins will be held with both teams

**5. Deliverables and Timeline**

- Inception notes
- Draft policy paper in both English and Arabic language.
- Final policy paper incorporating feedback
- Presentation of findings at a public session / roundtable
- Publish the Developed Policy Paper on IFI Commitments and Women’s Economic
- Participation in Jordan: The assignment will be conducted over a 6–8 weeks period from August to October 2026, aligned with policy developments related to the Social Security Law.

**6. Required Expertise**

- Expertise in gender, social protection, or labour economics
- Experience working on IFIs (IMF/World Bank) and public policy analysis
- Strong understanding of Jordan’s policy landscape
- Experience in research, policy writing, and stakeholder engagement

**Key Considerations**

- Ensure alignment with ongoing policy discussions on Social Security Law amendments
- Build on existing research, policy papers and most recent data
- Maintain a strong gender, feminist and care economy lens
- Ensure outputs are suitable for both technical and advocacy use
- Disclosure of previous work with consortium partners. Applicants must clearly disclose any previous collaboration or work undertaken with any of the consortium partners involved in