Jobs are crucial for individual well-being. They provide a livelihood and;; equally important;; a sense of dignity. They are also crucial for collective well-being and economic growth. However;; the rules and the incentives that govern labor markets in MENA countries have led to inefficient and inequitable outcomes on the personal and collective standpoint. Several underlying distortions prevent a more productive use of human capital and have led to a widespread sense of unfairness and exclusion;; of which the Arab Spring was a powerful expression.

This pilot study report was initiated by the European Training Foundation (ETF);; in close cooperation with the National Center for Human Resources Development (NCHRD) in Jordan;; in the framework of the ETF multiannual project Observatory Function Development in Jordan. The focus of this report is unemployment. However;; considering that unemployment information in itself should not be used or analysed in isolation from other indicators or data;; the report begins by providing an overview of the general labour market situation in Jordan. After the main data on employment by sector;; age;; gender and level of education are presented;; on the basis of the available information;; the specific cases of non-Jordanian employees and employment in the informal economy are highlighted as topics requiring special attention in the Jordanian labour market. In conclusion;; two groups of recommendations are proposed: (i) technical recommendations to main information providers for improving the quality of the information collected;; and (ii) a set of policy recommendations for tackling unemployment. These recommendations are intended to support policymakers in their commitment and willingness to adapt both the formal and informal education and training system and the whole labour market in Jordan.