Princess Basma marks birthday on Saturday

AMMAN — Saturday marked the birthday of HRH Princess Basma Bint Talal, a long-standing advocate for the rights of women, youth, and children, and a pioneer of sustainable human development in Jordan and the Arab region.

Princess Basma is the founder and Chairperson of the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), a non-profit organisation established in 1977. JOHUD’s unique model of community participation relies on a network of 52 locally managed Community Development Centres that extends across Jordan.

Princess Basma’s vision for community governance and participation remains central to JOHUD’s approach, reflected in the organisation’s decentralised operations and strong local engagement.

At the inauguration of the latest Community Development Centre (CDC) in Zarqa last year, Princess Basma stressed the importance of investing in the talents and potential of young people.

In May 2022, His Majesty King Abdullah bestowed Princess Basma with the Order of the State Centennial for services and contributions to the advancement and progress of the nation.

Among the national initiatives launched and directed by Princess Basma are the Goodwill Campaign (established 1991), providing support to thousands of families in need annually, and the Queen Alia Competition for Social Responsibility, which has been promoting social awareness among generations of Jordan’s school children for decades.

Since its inception in 1992, Princess Basma has chaired the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), playing a pivotal role in addressing women’s and gender-related issues, particularly in legislative and policy reform.

On the international level, as a member of the Advisory Board of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Princess Basma advocates for environmental sustainability, leveraging JOHUD’s networks as platforms for environmental activism. She serves as an Honorary Human Development Ambassador for UNDP and Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women and the UNFPA. She holds a PhD in development studies from Oxford University.