Amman – The Arab Women Organization, in collaboration with the Jordanian National Commission for Women, inaugurated a regional symposium in Amman on Tuesday under the theme "Protecting Women from Economic Violence in Arab Countries: Decent Work Mechanisms."
اضافة اعلان
The event coincides with the global "16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women" campaign and is supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation.
The two-day symposium brings together legal experts, economists, social researchers, representatives from international and regional organizations, and women's rights activists to address the challenges Arab women face due to economic violence and to explore avenues for their economic empowerment.
Minister of Development and Head of the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, Wafa Bani Mustafa, underscored the government’s commitment to advancing women's economic participation, as directed by His Majesty King Abdullah II. She emphasized that removing barriers to women’s involvement in the labor market is vital for enhancing their contribution to the national economy.
Bani Mustafa highlighted recent legislative amendments aimed at empowering women, including flexible and remote work policies, extended maternity leave, and ensuring women's inheritance rights for retirement pensions.
She also reviewed efforts by the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, including studies on women’s economic roles across Jordan’s governorates, which identified promising sectors for female employment. The Ministry of Development is further focusing on expanding childcare facilities to address obstacles hindering women’s workforce participation.
The Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women's Affairs, Maha Ali, emphasized the significance of the symposium in fostering regional cooperation to combat economic violence. She noted that the National Strategy for Women (2020–2025) prioritizes women's economic empowerment through initiatives aimed at improving work environments and promoting entrepreneurship.
Senator Khawla Armouti, Head of the Women’s Committee in the Senate, shed light on the pervasive issues of economic and domestic violence. She cited high unemployment rates among women and proposed legislative and societal measures to combat these challenges and protect women's rights.
The Director-General of the Arab Women Organization, Fadia Kiwan, reiterated the importance of regional efforts to address violence against women. She called for legislative reforms and enhanced protective measures to ensure women’s safety and economic participation.
Head of German Development Cooperation at the German Embassy Kordula Mehlhart underscored the economic ramifications of violence against women, emphasizing the need for international cooperation to achieve gender equality and eliminate such violence.
Participants at the symposium called for educational initiatives to shift societal attitudes, promote gender equality, and enhance women's empowerment. The discussions also stressed the importance of integrating legal and institutional frameworks to address economic and domestic violence as a step toward sustainable development and social justice.
The event included interactive sessions on economic violence, its impact on women, and the necessary interventions, as well as an interactive theatrical performance. Additionally, the symposium honored Jordanian winners of the Arab Women Organization’s awards for Institutional Excellence and Female Entrepreneurship.
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