--- title: "“Knowing our rights gave us courage”: Empowering agricultural workers in Jordan" description: "In Sabha, a town in Mafraq governorate in northern Jordan, 32-year-old Ahmad oversees dozens of workers harvesting late summer fruits and vegetables in sweltering heat. Ahmad and his family, who are Syrian refugees, will spend the season living in tents pitched on the farm, before packing up and moving on to the next harvest." url: "https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2026/knowing-our-rights-gave-us-courage-empowering-agricultural-workers-in-jordan" language: "en" published: "2026-11-09T07:45:49Z" modified: "2026-11-09T07:45:49Z" --- # “Knowing our rights gave us courage”: Empowering agricultural workers in Jordan Agricultural workers harvesting pomegranates in Mafraq, Jordan. Photo: Tina Abu Hanna/NRC In Sabha, a town in Mafraq governorate in northern Jordan, 32-year-old Ahmad oversees dozens of workers harvesting late summer fruits and vegetables in sweltering heat. Ahmad and his family, who are Syrian refugees, will spend the season living in tents pitched on the farm, before packing up and moving on to the next harvest. Published 09. Nov 2026 [Jordan](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=71) Thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan work as agricultural labourers, often travelling around the kingdom with their families following seasonal needs, and living in clusters of tents on the farms where they work. Ahmad has worked in agriculture in Jordan since 2012, when he fled his home in Hasakah due to the Syrian conflict. Over the years, he has taken on the role of *Shawish*, a middleman who connects farm owners with workers. Today, he represents more than 100 Syrian labourers – allocating workers to farms, arranging payments and mediating disputes. “A worker’s life is difficult,” Ahmad says. “What makes it harder is that wages are often the same regardless of how demanding the work is or how difficult the crop may be to cultivate.” Farm workers are often poorly paid and sometimes face violations of their rights such as unpaid or late wages. Ahmad recalls that several years ago, he worked on a farm for close to a year, after which the farm owner withheld his accumulated wages of around JOD 1,300 (USD 1,830). Ahmad tried to recover his earnings but eventually gave up after facing intimidation from the employer. Syrian agricultural worker, Ahmad, used the skills he learned through the training to recover owed wages from an employer. “Knowing our rights gave us courage,” he says. Photo: Mohammad Dallal/NRC At the time, Ahmad says he lacked both the knowledge and confidence needed to defend his rights. “I didn’t know what my rights were, or even that I had rights,” he says. Agricultural workers’ rights in Jordan are protected under the labour law but sometimes fear of retaliation prevents workers from speaking out, and many are not aware of their rights. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is working to change this by providing Jordanian and Syrian agricultural workers with training on their rights and responsibilities, tailored legal counselling and assistance, and coaching on alternative dispute resolution. These services are provided under the 20 Dunums for Change project, funded by the Agence Française de Développement, which supports the economic empowerment of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians in the agriculture sector through improved work conditions and increased and diversified income sources. ICLA officer Mohammad discusses available support with a farm worker in a tented settlement in Mafraq. Photo: Mohammad Dallal/NRC These services are provided under the 20 Dunums for Change project, funded by the Agence Française de Développement, which supports the economic empowerment of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians in the agriculture sector through improved work conditions and increased and diversified income sources. In 2025, Ahmad participated in a training delivered by NRC on workplace negotiation techniques, where he received coaching in mediation skills to resolve workplace disputes. He also learned the legal rights of agricultural workers in Jordan and how to protect them. Ahmad describes the training as transformative. “Knowing our rights gave us courage,” he says. “It removed the fear about things like, what if my employer fires me, deports me, or tries to harm me?” Soon after the training, Ahmad faced a problem when a farm owner withheld workers’ wages. This time, with a better understanding of workers’ rights, Ahmad was able to respond differently. “When I realised he was delaying payment intentionally, I told him confidently that I’d give him a deadline and if I did not receive my money by the deadline, I’d immediately file a lawsuit,” he explains. The employer responded by paying Ahmad his owed wages. "The information about filing a complaint, and the confidence with which I spoke to him – I learned this from NRC. During the training we learned that a person with a right does not necessarily have to obtain it through a legal complaint. There are easier ways." Ahmad also uses his training to support other workers. As a *Shawish*, he is often the first person workers turn to when problems arise. Using what he has learned, he helps them understand their rights and responsibilities, encourages dialogue, and supports them to resolve disputes before they escalate. “Knowledge is the greatest source of strength,” Ahmad reflects. “When workers understand both their rights and their responsibilities, they can engage in dialogue with confidence, resolve disputes in a way that protects their dignity and rights, and pass this knowledge on to others.” *Sign up to our newsletter to read more stories from around the world.* [Sign up to newsletter](https://www.nrc.no/sign-up-to-newsletter) ## More on [#Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=154) [#Employment laws and procedures](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=355)