Amman, Nov. 5 (Petra) -- The Social Security Corporation (SSC) launched a project Thursday to expand social insurance coverage for self-employed workers by developing flexible insurance models that accommodate irregular incomes and help workers maintain contributions and access benefits.
The project, which runs until July 2028, will be implemented by the SSC with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and funding from Norway. It will focus on designing and testing flexible coverage models tailored to self-employed workers' needs, assessing short-term, financially sustainable options to help them pay contributions, and raising awareness of their rights and available benefits.
The project will involve consultations and technical discussions with government institutions, employer and worker organizations, civil society, representatives of self-employed workers, and development partners.
Proposed models will be tested and refined based on evidence of worker registration and continued contributions. Successful models will be integrated into the SSC's systems, with broader implementation to be considered.
SSC Assistant Director General for Studies and Information Jalal Khasawneh said the project seeks to address the challenges posed by irregular and fluctuating incomes, enabling self-employed workers to maintain insurance coverage and access benefits.
He said the regulation governing SSC insurance coverage, recently approved by the Cabinet, introduces supplementary voluntary insurance, flexible coverage for digital platform workers and expanded partial coverage options.
These measures, he added, aim to provide workers with basic protection, particularly against work-related injuries, while maintaining the financial sustainability of the social insurance system.
ILO Country Coordinator in Jordan and Senior Regional Employment Policy Specialist Amal Mowafy said social security is fundamental to decent work and the transition to the formal economy, stressing the need for insurance systems to adapt to increasingly diverse employment arrangements.
She highlighted the ILO's longstanding cooperation with the SSC in expanding social protection and Norway's continued support for these efforts.
Norwegian Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Nini Pharo Halle said expanding access to social protection is essential to promoting decent work and economic security.
She said Norway's support aims to help develop a more inclusive, accessible and sustainable social insurance system that responds to the circumstances of self-employed workers, welcoming the project's emphasis on strengthening national institutions and developing practical, long-term solutions.
The project aligns with the Economic Modernization Vision and the National Social Protection Strategy, supporting efforts to strengthen economic security and facilitate the transition to the formal economy.
//Petra// NQ
