Amman, March 13 (Petra) – Minister of Social Development and Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, Wafa Bani Mustafa, said the committee has launched a strategy for women's empowerment under the Economic Modernization Vision.

The strategy includes several strategic initiatives in its executive program for 2023–2025, in line with the modernization vision introduced by His Majesty King Abdullah II.

Speaking at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York, during a panel discussion titled "The Role of National Strategies in Women's Economic Empowerment in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf States," organized by Jordan and co-sponsored by representatives of several Arab countries, Bani Mustafa outlined key priorities in the strategy. These include legislative reforms, expanding e-commerce, providing dedicated transportation for women in the agricultural and industrial sectors, and facilitating soft loans. Since early 2023, these initiatives have benefited 467 women and contributed to the creation of over 700 job opportunities.

She noted that investing in these policies has increased women's economic participation and lowered unemployment rates, leading to improvements in Jordan’s ranking on several international indicators.

Bani Mustafa also highlighted the Ministry of Social Development’s role in supporting women’s economic empowerment through the Oasis Project, a paid training initiative for Jordanian and refugee women in collaboration with UN Women. She underscored efforts to transition women from aid dependency to entrepreneurship and active workforce participation, noting that the project has directly or indirectly benefited more than 90,000 people.

For her part, Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, emphasized the importance of bridging the gap between education and employment, noting the economic cost of women’s absence from the workforce.

She said Arab countries have made significant investments in women's education, with "classrooms brimming with promise, graduations crowned with hope, and diplomas earned through perseverance." However, the labor market tells a different story, as many women remain absent from employment despite their academic achievements. This absence, she noted, results in an estimated annual economic loss of $575 billion in the Middle East and North Africa. Research indicates that women’s economic empowerment is not only an economic necessity but also a fundamental driver of progress, Bahous added.

//Petra// AJ

13/03/2025 13:12:25