The Jordan Times
By: Dana Al Emam

AMMAN — Despite the increase in the number of women in the Lower and Upper Houses over the years, now reaching 18 and seven respectively, women are still underrepresented in politics, the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) said Tuesday.
 

“Representation of Jordanian women in political decision-making positions is still around 12 per cent, which does not meet the international percentages… We aspire to reach a representation with a minimum of 20 per cent,” JNCW Secretary General Asma Khader said.
 

Speaking at an event titled “Continuity not Seasonality”, organised by the JNCW to mark International Women’s Day, Khader said the obstacles women face in the political arena stem from a negative cultural conception towards their role.
 

“We aim at expanding women’s contributions in political life and to empower the leadership of women and their participation in public life across the Kingdom to realise sustainable development,” she added.
 

HRH Princess Basma, president of the JNCW, said the commission, women’s rights activists and female MPs need to find more effective approaches and clear programmes that can bridge the communication gap between all sides involved in advocating for a more active role for women in the political arena.
 

“There were many previous attempts to partner with the feminist movement and female MPs in consecutive parliaments. In spite of the good intentions of all two sides, preparations and discussions were not regular enough to reach the needed efforts to improve the lives of Jordanian women,” the princess, who is also a goodwill ambassador for the UNFPA, said.
 

One of the wrong concepts, she said, that prevailed in previous parliaments was the thought of having enough time to delay addressing women’s issues, only to realise later that it is too late.
 

MP Reem Abu Dalbouh (Mafraq) said the JNCW has advanced the women’s movement in Jordan through a logical discourse that aims at eliminating gender-based discrimination.
 

“Reinforcing women’s participation in political, economic and social life achieves more justice on all levels,” Abu Dalbouh said in her speech, calling for further cooperation between the public and private sectors in this domain.
 

Senator Nawal Faouri noted that activists can draw from Islam’s teachings to advocate for women’s involvement in politics, stressing that Islam views men and women as equals.