Amman, Nov. 19 (Petra) Lower House Speaker Mazen Qadi on Wednesday underscored the importance of supporting and empowering Jordanian youth and expanding their participation in political life, in line with Royal directives calling for broader opportunities for young people to engage in decision-making.

Speaking to a meeting with local youth delegations Wednesday at the Lower House of Representatives, Qadi said the Lower House places youth-related issues at the forefront of its priorities, reflecting the guidance of His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II. He pointed to the amended National Service and Reserve Service Law, endorsed by MPs two days ago, which aims to shape the physical, intellectual and cultural capacities of young people while strengthening national identity and discipline.

He noted that the chamber continues to advance a legislative environment that encourages youth engagement in public life, stressing its commitment to offering meaningful spaces for dialogue with youth-led initiatives, listening directly to their views and recommendations, and channeling them into improved legislative and oversight performance.

For his part, Sultan Khalaileh, president of the Sanad for Thought and Youth Work association, praised the partnership between the association and the Lower House, describing it as an important model of cooperation between civil society organizations and the legislative authority.

Khalaileh said the association implements specialized projects that bolster youth participation in local governance and public affairs, including the Parliamentary Alliance for Youth and the Youth Local Governance Participation Project, supported by the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD) under the "Tamkeen" initiative.

Baha Qudah, general coordinator of the project to enhance youth participation in local and municipal governance, presented a comprehensive policy paper outlining key recommendations gathered by the team during field tours across the Kingdom’s governorates. The paper also included youth initiatives aimed at advancing their involvement in local governance, along with proposals to strengthen youth engagement in their communities.

At the end of the meeting, Qadi listened to a series of proposals submitted by young participants across various youth sectors, covering entrepreneurship development, support for cultural initiatives, political participation, expansion of youth-focused community programs, and the main challenges facing young people in governorates, along with practical solutions they offered to improve their realities and strengthen their presence in public life.

Qadi praised the forward-looking ideas presented, affirming the Lower House’s serious approach to these recommendations. He said the coming phase will see reinforced channels of communication with youth institutions, acknowledging the vital role young people play in Jordan’s comprehensive modernization drive.

//Petra// AF