Jordan Times
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Analysts see selection of four women as positive indicator
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN - Analysts and former officials regard the selection of four women ministers by Prime Minister-designate Nader Dahabi as a positive indicator because the choice was based on merit and qualifications.
“I believe the increase in the number of female ministers is an important and positive step because they are qualified women who have proven themselves in their fields,” former information minister and Senator Leila Sharaf told The Jordan Times yesterday.
She expressed hope that more women will be appointed in future governments.
Only one woman served in former prime minister Marouf Bakhit’s Cabinet: Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Suhair Al-Ali, who is slated to maintain her portfolio in Dahabi’s government.
Dahabi also chose Nancy Bakir, a former Arab League deputy secretary general for social affairs to head the Culture Ministry and Hala Latouf, a former secretary general at the Planning Ministry and head of Her Majesty Queen Rania’s office since July, as minister of social development.
The fourth female minister in the new Cabinet lineup is Maha Khatib, who headed the Jordan River Foundation and served as an advisor to Queen Rania. She is tipped to take the Tourism Ministry portfolio.
Dahabi reportedly held a retreat in Aqaba yesterday with the new ministers, who are scheduled to take the oath of office before His Majesty King Abdullah today.
Al Rai Newspaper Deputy Chief Editor Samir Hiyari described the selection of the four women as an “important and brave step” by the premier-designate.
“The four women are taking over important ministries and this is a positive indication and a reflection of His Majesty King Abdullah’s wish to further boost women’s representation on the political scene,” added Hiyari, who is also editor-in-chief of Ammon News.
The highest ministerial post to be assumed by a woman in Jordan was in 1999 when Planning Minister Rima Khalaf served as deputy prime minister for almost two years.
This is also the third time that a government under King Abdullah’s rule has four women ministers.
In 2004, former prime minister Faisal Fayez chose four women for his team. They served in the ministries of information and communications technology, tourism, municipal affairs, and culture. The minister of culture also served as the government’s spokesperson.
Following Fayez’s government, former PM Adnan Badran had four women serving in his Cabinet. They assumed the portfolios of information and communications technology, tourism and antiquities, culture, and planning and international cooperation.
Al Ghad Newspaper columnist Jamil Nimri described the latest nominations of women in the Cabinet as a “strong indicator that the leadership of Jordan wants to strengthen women’s role and ensure a positive image for the country”.
Meanwhile, researcher and political analyst Mohammad Masri said Dahabi’s choice of four female ministers shows that he believes in women’s participation in political life.
“Premier Dahabi was in charge of several institutions that had high female representation and it is obvious that he is very open to the idea of appointing women to important positions, because he is aware of their capabilities and performance,” Masri said.
The appointment of women in successive governments, according to Masri, has worked to change the mindset that for a long time rejected women’s involvement in public life.
“The appointment of qualified female ministers served to break negative attitudes because they proved themselves and their presence created social acceptance and forced people to deal with them and accept their presence,” Masri told The Jordan Times on Saturday.
Masri concluded by saying Jordan has qualified women who can head important ministries, such as health and education.