US embassy cable - 04AMMAN10216

UNCLAS AMMAN 010216 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR G/TIP, G, INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, AND NEA/RA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, EAID, ELAB, KCRM, KWMN, SMIG, ASEC 
SUBJECT: PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR FY05 ESF FUNDING - EMPOWERING 
MIGRANT WOMEN WORKERS IN JORDAN 
 
REF: STATE 260881 
 
1. Per reftel, post resubmits last year's proposal to assist 
UNIFEM's project, "Empowering Migrant Women Workers in 
Jordan."  UNIFEM has confirmed and post agrees, that the need 
for the project still exists. A brief overview of the project 
follows. The complete project proposal, including updates 
from last year, will be forwarded via e-mail to G/TIP and 
NEA/RA. 
 
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OVERVIEW 
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2. A. Title of Project: Empowering Migrant Women Workers in 
Jordan 
 
B. Name of Recipient Organization: United Nations Development 
Fund for Women (UNIFEM) 
 
C. Duration of Project: Requested funding would sustain the 
on-going program for two years. 
 
D. Description: To raise awareness of the rights of migrant 
women workers in Jordanian society through the provision of 
information, assistance, and advocacy services for individual 
workers and through public campaigning. 
 
E. Justification: In 2003 and 2004 the Government of Jordan 
has made great improvements to provide legal protection to 
migrant workers, but many challenges remain for the 
institutionalization of a safe environment for foreign 
domestic workers in Jordan. Despite several legal amendments, 
the challenge remains to lobby for amending the labor laws to 
fully include migrant workers. There is a need to involve 
civil society in the activities of the project. Currently, no 
NGOs have the necessary capacity for lobbying in a 
sustainable manner on migrant issues or to respond to human 
rights violations. By the end of the program UNIFEM expects 
that migrant workers will be assisted by NGOs in Jordan, have 
better access to information on their rights, and that 
available services and women's social and support networks 
will have improved. 
 
F. Estimated two-year budget: 
 
Operational Costs: 119,000 USD 
Education, Networking and Advocacy: 110,000 USD 
Support for the Reintegration and Widening of Migrants' 
Alternatives: 80,000 USD 
Information, Research and Publication: 100,000 USD 
Legal Assistance: 245,000 USD 
 
Grand Total: 654,000 USD 
 
G. Funding through the UNIFEM program "Empowering Migrant 
Women Workers in Jordan" will be directed to build the 
capacity of the newly created NGO called, "Friends of Women 
Workers: Advocacy for Migrants." 
 
H. Embassy point of contact for the project is political 
officer Keith Heffern. Office phone number is 962-6-590-6597, 
fax 962-6-592-0159, e-mail HeffernKL@state.gov. As of May 
2005, political officer Jonathan Peccia will be the POC, same 
phone numbers, e-mail PecciaJR@state.gov. 
 
 
 
HALE