MoU signed to establish ‘Workforce Policy Lab’

AMMAN — USAID’s Makanati, also known as the Women Economic Empowerment and Leadership Activity, on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) and the Economic and Social Council of Jordan (ESCJ).

As part of the MoU, Makanati, the JNCW and ESCJ will establish a “Workforce Policy Lab” to be an open creative space where policy experts from the private, public and civil society sectors will work together to develop inclusive policies and legislation to guide balanced and sustainable social and economic development, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Daniel Swift, USAID Economic Development and Energy Director, highlighted the importance of the MoU in establishing strong partnerships in supporting and enhancing women’s position in the workforce.

ESCJ President Mousa Shteiwi stressed that women’s participation in the private sector is still modest, adding that there are many obstacles facing women’s economic participation. Therefore, removing these obstacles will be a primary goal of the Workforce Policy Lab unit under the MoU.

JNCW Secretary General Maha Ali highlighted the importance of the MoU signing and said that it will enable all partners, under the leadership of Makanati, to establish cooperation in the field of research, studies, data analysis and policies related to women’s participation in the labour market, which will contribute to strengthening the commission’s role to transform women’s issues and priorities into national policies, strategies and legislation.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Nermeen Murad Garlick, the Chief of Party to USAID Makanati, thanked everyone and noted that by launching the Workforce Policy Lab, which will be co-hosted and led by both the JNCW and the ESCJ, Makanati plans to facilitate and technically support a consultative and transparent policy dialogue that will engage stakeholders at the national and sub-regional levels. 

She added that this dialogue will be triangular to ensure that the voices of the government, the private sector and the community are equally represented.