Case Study

Advancing Disability Inclusion in Jordan’s Water Sector

Jordan’s water sector is becoming more inclusive, more equitable, and more reflective of the diverse talents and needs of its people.
Inclusive Development

The Challenge

Jordan’s water sector faces immense challenges—from extreme water scarcity to aging infrastructure and rising demand. Yet, persons with disabilities have long been excluded from sector planning, employment, and service delivery. Without intentional inclusion, water governance risks reinforcing barriers to access and participation for a significant portion of the population.

Our Solution

Making Jordan’s Water Sector More Inclusive and Accessible

Chemonics is working with Jordanian partners—including the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the Water Authority of Jordan, the Jordan Valley Authority, and the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—to build a more inclusive, accountable, and sustainable water sector. Our approach focuses on:

  • Accessibility audits and improvements: We conducted accessibility assessments of customer service centers and administrative offices in Amman, Aqaba, Irbid, and other governorates. These assessments are informing infrastructure upgrades to ensure that persons with disabilities can access water services and participate in public life.
  • Inclusive mentorship and employment: We launched a national internship initiative that provides young people—including persons with disabilities—with hands-on experience in water institutions across the country. Interns are placed in ministries, utilities, and regional offices. Interns receive mentorship, training, and on-the-job experience, building a pipeline of new talent for the water sector.
  • Institutional capacity for inclusion: In partnership with the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we trained mentors, human resources staff, and inclusion focal points on disability etiquette, inclusive hiring, and workplace accommodations. These efforts are shifting institutional culture and embedding inclusive practices across water institutions.
  • Policy development and advocacy: We supported the Ministry of Water and Irrigation’s Gender and Inclusion Unit to integrate disability inclusion into sector policies, monitor frameworks, and leadership development. This includes tracking representation and accessibility, developing inclusive action plans, and amplifying the voices of people with disabilities through storytelling, public events, and media. A short film on disability inclusion in the water sector was featured at a national internship graduation and widely shared across social media platforms.

The Impact

A More Inclusive Water Sector

  • 164 young people have participated in the national internship program, including four persons with disabilities, who received tailored support and mentorship.
  • Accessibility assessments and training are informing upgrades to infrastructure and human resources practices across the sector.
  • Women and persons with disabilities are increasingly represented in leadership and technical roles, supported by communities of practice and targeted training.