Amman, Nov. 13 (Petra) – Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Abdelmunim Odat said the political track is the "cornerstone" of Jordan’s comprehensive modernization vision and serves as the natural entry point for expanding public participation and strengthening genuine representation in public life.
The minister added that this vision is fulfilled by building "effective" political parties to compete on the basis of programs and ideas.
Odat made the remarks on Thursday while patronizing a national conference, themed: "Towards Effective Women and Youth Participation in Political Modernization." Organized by the Al Hayat Center for Civil Society Development (Rased) in cooperation with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Foundation – Palestine and Jordan, the event saw the participation of parliamentarians, party leaders, and youth representatives.
Odat noted the political modernization project was not a procedural formality but a fundamental transformation in the structure of Jordan’s political life.
This project, he stated, aims to entrench a culture of program-based partisan work and strengthen the relationship among citizens and state institutions, as well as among voters and representatives, ideas and practice, which ensures that citizens become partners in shaping public policy and setting national priorities.
Odat added that the essence of this project is "youth empowerment, as young people are the heartbeat of the nation and the driving force capable of delivering constructive, positive change.
Youth, he said, are not mere recipients of policies but partners in shaping them, contributors to decision-making, and carriers of the nation’s aspirations.
For his part, Rased Director General Amer Bani Amer said the center completed performance assesment reports for Parliament and the government last year, and is currently preparing a comprehensive review of political party effectiveness and a study on measuring youth perceptions of the performance of young MPs.
He said the results will be submitted to decision-makers to reinforce a participatory approach in developing legislation.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women, Maha Ali, noted women’s representation in the current Lower House of Parliament has reached an unprecedented level that could further develop in the coming phase, positively influencing women’s empowerment and strengthening their effective participation within political parties, including in decision-making roles.
//Petra// AO
