AMMAN — Jordan came in third lowest among countries of the world in the participation of women in the labor force, according to a report issued by the
Economic and Social Council in 2020, dubbed “A study on the impact of COVID-19 on health, violence against women and economy in Jordan from a gender perspective”.
اضافة اعلان
“The pandemic has had major repercussions on women, whether in terms of health, economics or on the social levels, which helped to reduce their important role, this contributes to widening the gender gap,” Abla Amawi, secretary general of the Higher Population Council, told
Jordan News.
Amawi pointed to “slow investment” in the population, despite the fact that by 2040 the percentage of youth in the population will reach 67 percent. She said that currently, 61 percent of the population in Jordan are between 15 and 64 years.
“Investing in the population requires, most importantly, improving the health of the population, including the youth, to increase the population’s productivity in order to improve economic growth,” Amawi said, adding that Jordan today has an opportunity through the youth to reap demographic dividends and achieve sustainable development goals.
She said that the COVID-19 pandemic left an economic impact that contributed to a rise in unemployment rates, loss of job opportunities, in addition to a decline in economic growth.
Amawi said that women are considered more vulnerable to financial losses resulting from the pandemic, as they constitute the largest percentage of workers in the informal labor sector, which was directly impacted by the pandemic.
She recently announced that the poverty rate in Jordan has reached 15.7 percent, and noted that the unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2021 reached 24.8 percent.
Hussien Khuzaie, a sociologist, told
Jordan News that the rise in unemployment and poverty, lead to a tougher and more complicated economic situation.
“We have to benefit from having a large percentage of youth, which I believe is a golden opportunity, as generally they are the most productive category in society,” Khuzaie said, adding that the country needs more projects that the youth can take part in.
He said some young people decide to emigrate to make a better living after years of unemployment, adding the country doesn’t want to lose them. “We need them as they contribute to the development of society,” he added.
“Women are also an essential part of each society, the participation of all segments of a society is what leads to a successful and developed society,” Khuzaie said.
“It is time now for all to work together, despite our age and gender differences, in order to improve our society. Times are different now, women are highly educated, and can compete just like men,” he said.
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