Jordan Times
Monday, March 5, 2007
Conference seeks to identify
challenges facing local businesswomen
Participants to draw up 5-year action plan to boost professional career women’s
contribution to trade, economic decision-making
By Hana Namrouqa
AMMAN — Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday attended the inauguration of the First
National Businesswomen’s Conference, which seeks to identify and address the
challenges facing businesswomen in the country.
Organised by the Jordan Forum for Business and Professional Women (JFBPW), the
conference brings together 120 professional businesswomen and more than 200
representatives of the public and private sectors who are discussing several
issues including women and trade, use of IT in women’s businesses, women and
economic decision-making positions as well as regulations and laws affecting
businesswomen in Jordan.
JFBPW Chairman Senator Wijdan Saket said despite the development of education
and the easy access to information, there is still a lack of support for women’s
rights.
“We are surprised that up until this day we still witness strong discrimination
against women, especially with the existence of a constitution that guarantees
women’s rights,” Saket said in her address during the opening ceremony.
Stressing the need for the immediate amendment of current legislation, JFBPW CEO
Rana Akhal said regulations of the Jordanian chambers of commerce and industry
don’t oblige them to employ women members in their boards, noting that only
seven of the country’s 50 pioneering companies have women in their boards of
directors.
According to studies carried out by the JFBPW, over the past three years women’s
participation in the workforce has increased to 27.8 per cent compared to 10 per
cent in the 1960s.
Women’s participation in the workforce in the Middle East and North Africa
region, however, stood at 32 per cent in 2005.
Reviewing women’s status and participation in the labour market, Akhal said 39
per cent of women owned businesses concentrated in the services sector, 20 per
cent in manufacturing sector (food and clothing) and 15.1 per cent in retail
trade.
Meanwhile, the percentage of self-employed women in the northern and the central
regions was higher than in the south, with a total of 40.5 per cent in Irbid and
53.6 per cent in Amman.
The studies also showed that only 5 per cent of women-run businesses were in the
ICT sector, while 8.3 per cent of businesswomen use advanced technology in their
companies such as electronic office networks. They also revealed that 6.3 per
cent of businesswomen sell their goods online and 7.1 per cent purchase goods
online.
During the opening, Saket announced the establishment of a new Board of Trustees
at the JFBPW to support the forum’s leadership and management and ensure that
all the country’s sectors benefit from its services.
Building on the two-day conference’s recommendations, participants will draw up
a five-year action plan to boost local businesswomen’s contribution to trade and
economic decision-making.
In addition, the proposals will be the foundation for launching various
initiatives that will empower women to occupy decision-making positions.
Queen Rania, who is honorary president of JFBPW, presented the forum’s plaque of
honour to several local and international organisations and companies in
appreciation for their support of businesswomen’s issues in Jordan.
Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit, Senate President Zeid Rifai, Lower House Speaker
Abdul Hadi Majali and several ambassadors attended yesterday’s event.
The JFBPW was established in 1967 as a nonprofit organisation seeking to
develop, empower and advocate for local business and professional women.
It has several socio-economic objectives, including attracting and developing a
cadre of active, career-minded professionals prepared to take up leadership
positions and a more dynamic role in the country.