ACHRS Condemns the Unfair Living Standards that Many Migrant Workers Face in the Jordan Valley
According to Jordan’s Civil Defense Department, thirteen Pakistanis were killed by a blaze caused by an electrical fire that swept through makeshift housing in the Jordan Valley, a fertile produce-producing area.
Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz extended his condolences to the people of Pakistan and called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire. Two families lived in this makeshift housing for immigrant laborers in poor and unfair conditions. The victims of the blaze included eight children and four women. It is not uncommon for migrant workers employed by private farms in the Jordan Valley to be poorly accommodated and live in dangerous conditions.
The Jordanian government must ensure the standards of living in the Jordan Valley are fair. Jordan must make it a priority to inspect the living conditions of privately-owned farms to ensure the safety of the thousands of migrant workers they employ. The deaths of the thirteen Pakistani nationals could have been prevented if their housing was inspected by Jordanian officials for safety.
The right to an adequate standard of living is a globally recognized human right and the international community must push governments to ensure that migrant workers are provided with just housing accommodations. Too often those on the margins of the society are killed by poor living conditions.
