The Health, Environment, and Population Committee of the Senate, chaired by Senator Dr. Yasin Al-Hasban, met on Sunday with the Secretary-General of Higher Population Council, Dr. Issa Al-Masarweh, and the Director-General of the Department of Statistics, Dr. Haidar Freihat, to discuss the future strategies of the HPC and the DOS, as well as the most prominent population and development issues associated with them.
Al-Hasban affirmed the importance of the national role played by the HPC in shaping population policies in Jordan. He noted that the committee places great importance on health, environment, and population issues, and continuously follows up on matters related to the health, pharmaceutical, and environmental sectors in cooperation with relevant government agencies, foremost among them the Ministries of Health and Environment, especially in light of the need to review and develop a number of related legislations.
He explained that the HPC is a pivotal national entity established to support the formulation of population policies and sustainable development plans by studying issues of population growth, reproductive health, the empowerment of women and youth, and equity in the distribution of population and services. This contributes to achieving a balance between population growth and available resources and enhancing economic and social development.
Al-Hasban pointed out the importance of reviewing the latest population data and statistics issued by the DOS, particularly those related to population size and the proportion of youth. He affirmed that Jordan is a youthful society that requires sound planning and policies capable of investing youth energies and enhancing opportunities for sustainable development.
For his part, Al-Masarweh explained that the HPC is a non-executive national body concerned with providing accurate demographic data and indicators, and supporting policymaking related to population growth, age structure, and geographical distribution of the population, thereby enhancing the efficiency of national planning.
He noted that the council works in partnership with ministries, national institutions, and local and international organizations to prepare interconnected policy papers and strategies in the areas of population, reproductive health, and social development. He emphasized the importance of unifying national references for population data and enhancing the impact of statistics on decision-making.
Al-Masarweh pointed out that there are legislative issues requiring review and updating, most notably certain provisions related to the Personal Status Law, challenges associated with social security and the labor market, in addition to the financial implications of early retirement and the impact of foreign labor on employment opportunities for Jordanian youth. He stressed the importance of reviewing the minimum wage and social protection policies to enhance economic stability and a fair work environment.
In turn, Freihat confirmed that current estimates of the Kingdom's population have exceeded 12 million. He explained that the census works are going through integrated stages, including technical preparation, field enumeration, and preparation of statistical packages, with the completion of the enumeration phase expected by the end of next June.
He noted that the DOS employs modern methodologies and technologies in conducting the census, including the use of tablets and drones to reach rugged areas, alongside integrating national databases related to civil status, borders, and residency, with the aim of raising the accuracy of statistical indicators and improving data quality.
He added that the department periodically conducts several specialized national surveys, most notably the Population and Family Health Survey, as well as agricultural and economic censuses, as they constitute an important information base to support national studies and to read demographic, social, and economic indicators more accurately and comprehensively.
Freihat affirmed that the department is working on launching a unified central national platform for statistical data, to serve as the official reference for numbers, indicators, and statistical interpretations. He stressed the importance of integration and electronic linkage between national databases, as this contributes to supporting decision-making, raising the efficiency of planning, and anticipating future challenges.
