Amman: Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani Mustafa met with Murad Wahba, Acting Executive Secretary and Under-Secretary-General of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and Sheri Ritsema-Andersen, the UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan, to explore strategies for bolstering cooperation on social programmes.
According to Jordan News Agency, Bani Mustafa highlighted the collaboration between the Ministry and ESCWA in supporting social development and enhancing Jordan's social protection system. This initiative aligns with the national priorities and the National Social Protection Strategy, set to span from 2025 to 2033. She referred to a social protection study prepared by ESCWA, noting that input had been solicited from relevant ministries and institutions to refine the study and offer feedback.
Bani Mustafa called for developing inclusive frameworks and indicators to improve the efficiency and fairness of social programme designs. She stressed that these efforts are crucial to ensuring equitable access to services and promoting social and economic empowerment. The minister outlined the Ministry's commitment to strengthening partnerships to enhance the quality of national data and indicators, which would enable the assessment of social inclusion outcomes and support evidence-based policymaking.
The minister also emphasized the importance of providing ongoing technical support to professionalize social work, case management, and multi-sectoral coordination, describing these as key components of inclusion. Wahba acknowledged the progress made in the field of social protection and expressed optimism about further strengthening the partnership between ESCWA and Jordan in the near future.