Amman, March 8 (Petra) – The Women’s Committee in the Senate launched an initiative today, Monday, under the title: Power To Women, in cooperation with the National Democratic Institute and the Coalition of Women MPs from Arab Countries, and with the participation of the Women and Family Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives, with the aim of uniting efforts and strengthening cooperation on women’s rights issues in the Kingdom. The launch of the initiative comes in conjunction with International Women’s Day, which coincides on the 8th of March every year, in recognition of women’s economic, political and social achievements. “When we talk about women and their role in public life in their various political, economic and social aspects, we are talking about the sisters of men and half of the society, and about the struggling women who are fighting to build their country and society,” said the President of the Senate, Faisal Al-Fayez, who patronized the launch. He added, “The participation of women in public life, especially politically and economically, is still a controversial topic that captures the attention of governments and civil society institutions working in the field of democracy, human rights and public freedoms, which demands the effective implementation of all steps and procedures that remove the various obstacles facing women.” Al-Fayez pointed out that “in light of the current conditions that our region is going through, women have paid an expensive price, especially in countries that face political and security conflicts and that negatively affected women’s dignity, caused their loss of the possibility of influencing the course of events, and the decline of their role in light of the spread of the forces of terrorism and extremism, despite the studies and conferences that were held to advance their role and empower them politically and economically. ” He stressed that, “Jordanian women have made great achievements, and thanks to their distinction and diligence, they were able to advance in various positions, as they have proven unlimited abilities of giving and assumed the highest leadership positions.” He pointed out that “thanks to the care and attention that His Majesty King Abdullah II gives to women, and His Majesty’s continuous directives on the necessity of empowering them in society and removing the various obstacles that limit their aspirations, there has been a continuous review of legislations and regulations that safeguard their rights and dignity, and enable them to be a true partners for men. Laws related to municipalities, parliamentary elections and decentralization for women allocated shares for women  in addition to granting them positive advantages in these laws, enabling them to obtain more seats than what is allocated to them. He indicated that “His Majesty’s directives strengthened the political, social and economic role of women, so she became a minister, a judge, an ambassador, a parliamentarian,  a senator and an officer, in addition to her assuming many other leadership positions in various Jordanian, Arab and international institutions.” Al-Fayez went on to say: “The Jordanian woman deserves a lot, so the ambition is still to have more advantages that enable her to be a true partner to the man, at a time when I realize that there are difficulties and obstacles for women to overcome, if they want to be in public life,” These include factors related to women themselves and their economic status, and others related to society and the prevailing culture in it. He emphasized, “The importance of strengthening the role of women in building a society based on noble values, the values ​​of loyalty, belonging, love and brotherhood. Any society that doesn’t seek women help in addressing its various issues and challenges, oversteps half of the energies of the society, so we must provide support for women and empower them . Women have a pivotal role, and the concerned authorities should realize this. ” Al-Fayez reminded the need to change many misconceptions to enhance the participation of women in decision-making, and called for more just and less biased laws, in addition to eliminating all forms of discrimination against women, calling on women to engage more in political, economic and syndicates  work, so that they can be more involved in public life, expressing his conviction that any society cannot achieve comprehensive development and building, if women are not real participants in decision-making. On the occasion of Women’s Day, and the approaching Mother’s Day, Al Fayez congratulated, and cherished every Jordanian and Arab mother, especially mothers of the martyrs, with full respect and appreciation for what they had done so we can live and sustain our homeland.

In turn, the head of the women’s committee in the Senate, Senator Haifa Al-Najjar, said, in the presence of the committee members and a number of notables, that the committee proceeds with its plans, work and goals from its specializations specified in Article 30 of the bylaw of the parliament. She emphasized that the committee seeks, through its work plan, to build bridges of partnership, cooperation and communication with all sectors, national institutions and civil society organizations to advance the status of Jordanian women in various fields. Believing in Jordan’s role, its strategic position in the heart of the world, and its excellence in complementarity, rationality, culture, spirituality and values.

Senator Al-Najjar indicated, in the presence of the chairperson and members of the House of Representatives’ Women and Family Affairs Committee, that the committee aims to create an integral and interactive approach to work on the various axes that consecrate women’s constitutional rights and activate their role in various fields, stressing that the committee also seeks to review all legislation related to women and the family based on the legislative role of the Senate. She indicated that the initiative “Power to Women”, with the efforts of everyone, will enhance communication and cooperation between the various parties, based on participation, national priorities, inclusiveness, and the promotion of a culture of difference. For her part, the Chairperson of the Coalition of Arab Women MPs, Lawyer Wafa Bani Mustafa, said that the “Power to Women” initiative focuses on national ownership of women’s issues, maximizing common interests and strengthening them, understanding difference and plurality of opinions and positions away from accusation and exclusion by leading a national dialogue that is open to everyone, and listens to everyone based on a deep understanding for the Jordanian social context, and  is inspired by the Arab and Islamic culture, respects the principles of the divine religions, and benefits from various regional and international experiences. According to Bani Mustafa, the initiative’s philosophy is based on 5 pillars, which are participatory, national priorities.  According to Bani Mustafa, The philosophy of the initiative is based on 5 pillars, which are participatory, national priorities, commonalities, inclusiveness, and a culture of difference by reinforcing the idea that difference of opinion does not prevent working on points of agreement.