New York: Minister of Social Development and Head of the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment Wafa Bani Mustafa joined the ministerial roundtable at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. The session focused on the role of national mechanisms in achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls. It emphasised the importance of commitment, resource allocation, and accelerating progress in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
According to Jordan News Agency, Bani Mustafa discussed Jordan’s initiatives to empower women and address barriers to empowerment, including significant legislative developments such as constitutional amendments and a supportive approach within election laws, political parties, and corporate frameworks. She noted that Jordan has launched ambitious strategies aimed at empowering women, which prioritise the provision of accurate data, public-private partnerships, and improved access to financial services and the labour market for women.
Bani Mustafa highlighted the establishment of the Gender Gap Accelerator, created in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and in partnership with the private and public sectors. An implementation plan for the Accelerator is underway, along with analytical studies examining women’s economic identities across various governorates, the impact of economic violence on women, and their status across ten sectors.
Bani Mustafa also discussed the Ministry’s initiatives to provide paid training for Jordanian and refugee women through projects like “Oases” in collaboration with UN Women and “Makani,” in partnership with UNICEF. These projects equip women, girls, and children with the skills necessary to enter the workforce. The Ministry is focused on transitioning women from a state of dependency on aid to active participation in the labour market as entrepreneurs. Beneficiaries of the aid fund can access their aid salary for one year if they secure employment or for two years if they launch their own businesses.