Gender inequality remains a great challenge - Al-Ali

A Regional Seminar on Women's Economic Participation is organized by the EUROMED Role of Women in Economic Life Programme, in cooperation with Jordan Forum for Business and Professional Women (JFBPW) on 30 June-1st July in Jordan.

The minister called on governments to integrate plans and strategies which empower women and stressed the importance of mobilising the region's collective talents and efforts towards addressing the challenges and barriers facing women in South Mediterranean region.

She mentioned media outlets as potential allies and underlined the role the private sector and civil society can play in empowering women.

Al-Ali stated: "Although women's political, social and economic empowerment in the south Mediterranean region ranks high on many of the region's country development plans and reform agendas, and although a number of achievements have this far been achieved, there is a need for exploring means of how women's full political, social and economic participation can be ensured."

"It is very important that we build upon our experiences and to share our knowledge to explore ideas, tap new opportunities and, above all, continue to build peer networks that will enhance our ability to achieve our common goals," she said at the two day seminar organized by the EUROMED Role of Women in Economic Life Programme in cooperation with the Jordan Forum for Business and Professional Women in Jordan.

The seminar provides a regional forum for debate on key constraints facing women's economic participation in the south Mediterranean region, with particular emphasis given to the challenges of paid work, access to resources, social security and protection, formalization of entitlements and ownership rights.

"In Jordan, there is a strong political will, driven by the vision and leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah towards women's empowerment," she emphasized. "Enabling women has always ranked high on our national agenda. Gender mainstreaming is a cross-cutting issue that forms a critical social objective in our development vision."

She said: "The government of Jordan continues to reiterate its commitment to increase women's participation in the development process in all spheres. Our ultimate goal continues to be providing women with an equal opportunity to shape policies that affect their lives, and to fully participate in the Jordanian society at large."

Al-Ali made reference to the government's comprehensive strategy for the development of the role of women throughout Jordanian society, as well as efforts to promote women's leadership at all levels in both the public and private sectors, a subject reconfirmed during the High Level Policy Forum on Gender which took place in January of last year under the Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania.

The minister also spoke about the work of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation with the donor community on several programmes and projects that aim at increasing political and economic participation of women. The seminar will enable the sharing of good practice examples among representatives of Mediterranean partner countries including the experience of gender budgeting in several countries, reform of social security legislation and collective action among women workers.

A key objective of the seminar is to set a forward-looking agenda for policy advocacy, and set action-oriented strategies, programmes and action plans.

The regional seminar builds on the conclusions of an initial consultative meeting held in Cairo in May 2008, which provided an opportunity to present the outcomes of research commissioned by the programme to examine women's economic situation in the Mediterranean partner countries.

The EUROMED Role of Women in Economic Life is a three-year regional programme (2006-2008)funded by the European Union as part of the MEDA programme to foster partnership in social, cultural and human affairs, one of the three main chapters of the Euro Mediterranean Partnership. The programme is implemented by the British Council.