Jordan Times
Sunday, March 9, 2008
‘Women’s empowerment is
a fundamental requirement for growth, development’
AMMAN (JT) - Women’s empowerment is no longer a luxury, but a fundamental
requirement for economic growth and development, as well as social stability,
Planning and International Cooperation Minister Suhair Al-Ali told an
international conference in Brussels.
Addressing the conference, “Women: Stabilising an Insecure World” at the
invitation of Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European commissioner for external
relations, the minister said “gender inequality remains a great challenge that
we share with women across the globe”.
According to a statement from her office, Al-Ali stressed that extensive efforts
still need to be exerted to further empower women to fulfill their potential.
The minister indicated that gender equality and women’s empowerment are
considered to be major issues that feature prominently on the policy level of
many countries around the world and have always ranked high on many countries'
national development plans and reform agendas, including Jordan.
“Women represent a vital component in any country's growth and development,” she
said. “Our experience in gender mainstreaming has provided evidence that the
process does not only ensure social equity, but also enhances women’s
participation in the different domains of public life as well as in the
decision-making process,” she was quoted as saying in the statement.
The minister highlighted efforts made in Jordan to promote women's participation
in decision-making and empowering women to assume senior management positions in
the public and private sectors.
She explained that this was reconfirmed during the High Level Policy Forum on
Gender, which took place in 2007 under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania.
The forum’s main recommendations were the inclusion of gender issues in the
design of economic policies; supporting the development of a non-discriminatory
business environment for all, widening market-driven education and training
opportunities, as well as developing a more gender sensitive school curricula.
“Currently, we are working on implementing these recommendations, which will
assist in creating more jobs and business opportunities for women,” Al-Ali
stated.
The minister said Jordan has been implementing many developmental projects
concerned with the empowerment of women in the political, economic and social
fields. In addition, Jordan has been promoting women's leadership at all levels,
with the ultimate goal to provide women equal opportunities to participate in
the policies that shape their own future, and to further enhance the role of
women in the Jordanian society at large.
The conference was attended by a number of heads of state, prime ministers and
ministers from around the world. Amongst the participants were Finish President
Tarja Halonen, First Lady Suzan Mubarak, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia
Timochenko and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Minister meets EC officials
In another development, Al-Ali met with Marcus Cornaro, director for Europe,
Southern Mediterranean, Middle East and Neighbourhood Policy at the European
Commission's EuropeAid Cooperation Office (AIDCO), to discuss the ongoing
bilateral cooperation and partnership between the European Union (EU) and
Jordan, according to a statement.
The meeting was also attended by Patrick Renauld, ambassador of the European
Commission Delegation in Amman.
During this meeting, Al-Ali reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to the Euro-Med
Partnership of the Barcelona Process and the European Neighbourhood Policy, and
emphasised the distinguished bilateral relations between both sides, the
statement noted.
The minister also expressed Jordan’s appreciation for the assistance extended by
the EU over the past years, which has assisted the Kingdom in the implementation
of key priority projects and programmes in various areas.
In this context, the minister called on the EU to provide additional support,
over and above that has been already committed to Jordan to assist in sustaining
political, social and economic achievements and to pursue with the
implementation of reforms.
Al-Ali also briefed Cornaro on Jordan's ongoing political, social and economic
reform efforts with the aim of establishing Jordan as a model of reform in the
region.
In this context, she highlighted the reforms and measures undertaken by the
government to create an enabling investment environment, including legislative
and structural reforms.
Al-Ali expressed appreciation for the EU’s support to Jordan, particularly the
assistance provided under the MEDA Programme and the European Neighbourhood and
Partnership Instrument, which amounts to a total of 883.5 million euros during
the period 1996-2010.
The minister called on the EU officials to exert further efforts aimed at
providing further financial and technical assistance to enable Jordan to
continue to move forward in the implementation of its reform and development
programmes.