Equality, respect of women still lacking

“Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”, this year’s International Women’s Day theme, which coincided on Friday, is quite distinguished in Jordan and the world over.

The United Nations’ theme mainly highlights the importance of putting innovation by women and girls at the heart of efforts to achieve gender equality.

The upcoming meetings by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) are also on the social protection of women.

Moreover, Jordan is presenting in New York at the CSW a balanced report on the social protection of women that has been prepared in collaboration with representatives of women-led civil society organisations, including the Arab Women Organisation (AWO) for the first time.

The government’s efforts to maintain social protection to all vulnerable Jordanians and Syrian refugees, however, have been scrutinised yet again, as international and local NGOs bore most of the burden of serving the vulnerable and the refugees through a wide range of educational sessions on equal rights for women and girls.

Celebrations marking the day of women took place all over the Kingdom and have been well covered by the media, but equality and respect of women are still lacking.

The AWO, which marked the occasion by convening a distinguished event, has called for a Jordan where gender equality becomes a way of life. 

Additionally, and while celebrating women›s achievements, especially the endorsement of five new facilities for working women’s, the AWO repeatedly called for raising the awareness of government actors to think equal, advocate for innovation for change amongst women-led NGOs and to tell Jordanian women that they can build a smarter movement.

Layla Naffa

AWO, director of programmes