Amman: The Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment met with UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous to explore collaborative efforts on various joint programmes aimed at supporting and empowering women.
According to Jordan News Agency, Committee Chair Minister of Social Development Wafaa Bani Mustafa highlighted that Jordan has made significant strides in legislation and policies focused on empowering women, advancing their rights, and bolstering their economic, political, and social participation. She emphasized that these efforts demonstrate Jordan's dedication to enhancing women's roles in public life, underscoring that women's empowerment is a collective national responsibility essential for achieving inclusive development and sustainable economic growth.
Bani Mustafa detailed major advancements in legislation supporting women's participation, national policy development, and the committee's initiatives to enhance women's representation in decision-making roles and economic participation. She mentioned the launch of the "Institutional Seal for Supporting and Empowering Women in the Public and Private Sectors," in collaboration with the King Abdullah II Center for Excellence and the Jordanian National Commission for Women. This initiative, aligned with the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV), sets clear workplace equality standards to help local firms create fair work environments and remain competitive globally.
She expressed gratitude for UN Women's contributions to Jordan's women's empowerment efforts, aligning with the Engendered Strategy in the EMV and the National Strategy for Women. She called for expanded cooperation to further support Jordan's development priorities.
Sima Bahous praised the strong partnership between Jordan and UN Women, stating that future priorities include building on legislative and policy gains to bring tangible improvements to the lives of women and girls across Jordan. She affirmed that women's empowerment is central to Jordan's modernisation agenda, contributing to national development and prosperity.
Bahous announced Jordan's selection as one of three priority countries for the new phase of UN Women's global "Women Count" programme, which aims to enhance data on women's contributions to the economy. She expressed interest in hosting the global launch of this programme's new phase in Jordan in 2026.
The meeting also addressed opportunities for enhancing women's empowerment across various sectors, such as work, transport, health, education, and more. Discussions focused on increasing women's economic participation and improving care and childcare policies, as well as ensuring safe and accessible transport.
Key attendees included Minister of Transport and Labour Nidal Qatamin, Minister of Education and Human Resources Development Azmi Mahafzah, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nancy Namrouqa, Minister of Youth Raed Adwan, Minister of Health Ibrahim Bdour, and Minister of Environment Ayman Suleiman, along with secretary-generals and partner institution representatives.