Amman, March 17 (Petra) -- The ministerial committee for women’s empowerment, in cooperation with the Jordanian National Committee for Women and UN Women, held an event on Tuesday to mark International Women’s Day 2026 under the theme "Women's Empowerment and Jordan's Modernisation Journey: Progress Achieved with Only a Few Years from the End Line of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

Minister of Social Development and Chair of the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment Wafaa Bani Mustafa said in her speech that Jordan is steadily moving to place women’s empowerment at the heart of its priorities, within the framework of political, economic, and administrative modernization, noting that achieving comprehensive reforms requires genuine and effective empowerment of women across all fields.

She highlighted that recent constitutional amendments, particularly the amendment of Article Six, represented an important step in strengthening women’s rights by explicitly mandating the state to empower women and protect them from all forms of violence and discrimination, while reinforcing the principles of equal opportunity and justice.

Bani Mustafa said enhancing women’s access to justice requires providing accessible and fair channels, including legal aid services, noting that women’s representation in the judiciary has reached around 30 percent, which boosts women’s confidence in the judicial system; contributes to developing the judiciary; and supports broader institutional reforms, as well as increasing women’s access to parliament, decision-making positions, and leadership roles.

On the economic front, she confirmed that the Economic Modernization Vision places significant focus on increasing women’s participation through initiatives that support their transition from the informal to the formal sector. She added that Jordan is making progress in financial inclusion policies, digital transformation, and e-services, expanding opportunities for women’s economic participation alongside administrative reforms aimed at enhancing women’s presence in leadership positions.

UN Women Jordan National Committee Secretary-General Maha Ali said that, over recent years and under royal patronage, Jordan has achieved tangible progress in women’s empowerment, supported by an advanced legislative system that strengthens equal opportunities and provides the legal guarantees needed to empower women economically, politically, and socially.

Ali emphasized that legislation, while important, requires effective implementation mechanisms, continuous development, and raising societal awareness about the importance of respecting rights and equal opportunities between men and women, as well as working to change stereotypes that may hinder women’s participation in public life and their contribution to decision-making and policymaking.

Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Jordan, Sherry Reitsema-Anderson, said the region shows clear disparities in women’s situations, where women and girls in some countries bear the burdens of conflicts they did not cause while their rights decline instead of advancing. She added that Jordan has consciously and consistently chosen a different path focused on strengthening women’s rights, emphasizing that this approach requires leadership, political will, and effective partnerships, with UN support continuing for this direction.

UN Women Representative in Jordan Nicola Berniat said Jordan demonstrates, through modernization pathways, a clear commitment to institutionalizing women’s empowerment as a pillar of comprehensive reform amid a regional context facing growing challenges. He added that this approach reflects progress in developing legislative frameworks and expanding opportunities for women, stressing the importance of accelerating efforts, removing remaining obstacles, and strengthening partnerships to ensure the sustainability of gains and enable women’s active contribution to development pathways.

The event was attended by Minister of State for Legal Affairs Nancy Namrouqa, Chair of the Senate Women’s Committee Khawla Al-Armouti, Deputy Speaker of the Lower House Hala Al-Jarrah, along with a number of senators, representatives, and civil society organization officials.

During the ceremony, a panel discussion was held on the state of women’s empowerment in Jordan and progress achieved in the field, moderated by journalist Samar Haddadin. It addressed key challenges and opportunities related to enhancing women’s participation across sectors, with participation from legislative and executive authorities, independent bodies, and civil society institutions. Short videos were also presented on women’s empowerment prepared by the Jordanian National Committee for Women, as well as the third voluntary report on Sustainable Development Goal Five.

//Petra// AF

17/03/2026 22:04:25