Jordan Times
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Project seeks to get
more women into the workforce
By Grace Peacock
AMMAN — Civil society organisations joined forces with the business community,
government representatives and the European Union yesterday to tackle the high
rates of unemployment among women in both Jordan and Gaza.
“We want to find a way to help men and women work together. We want to target
women of all parts of society and help them use the skills they have to match
them with a job,” said Elena Abu Adas, managing director of Tatawor Association,
a nonprofit organisation that hosted the workshop.
Over 70 people took part in Tatawor’s project ‘Free to Work’ — a 24-month
initiative financed by the European Commission to determine employment
opportunities in Jordan and Gaza and help women assess their skills, undergo
further training and ultimately find a job.
“Unemployment here is really high and we want to know why most of the unemployed
people are women?” said Mariam Abu Adas, Tatawor’s project manager.
She pointed out that women account for 82 per cent of Jordan’s unemployment
rate.
A recent report by the Ministry of Labour put the country’s unemployment rate at
15 per cent, while the poverty rate is estimated at 14.8 per cent.
“There are so many women here who are disempowered because they don’t have jobs.
But if they use their skills to find work then they could really be empowered,”
she added, explaining that the policy framework in both Jordan and Gaza needs to
change to make the workforce more accessible for women.
Abu Adas also hopes to challenge what is commonly referred to as the “culture of
shame” that exists in these regions whereby women are prevented from working due
to objections from family members.
The project Free to Work is in its first stage and is designed to study the
economy for actual and potential markets and identify the resources needed to
develop further job opportunities.
Women who take part in the programme will have their skills analysed and will
receive personalised training to help them meet their career aims and ambitions.
“We hope to assist a wide range of women from 16 to 60, educated or uneducated
from all walks of life,” said Abu Adas, who encourages unemployed women to
contact Tatawor.
Hanan Quirdy is a mother of three and says she was the first female industrial
machinery driver in Amman. She believes the Free to Work initiative will help
other women break through the same barriers she experienced to take on what has
traditionally been a man’s job.
“This project helps me and other women be more sure that we can do what we want.
It’s become my own personal challenge to do this job and be a driver and it
should be every woman’s challenge to find herself the job they like,” she said.
For more information on the Free to Work project, call: 554 6556 or email info@tatawor.org.