Irbid, March 2 (Petra) The Princess Basma Center for Women’s Studies at Yarmouk University, in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation – Jordan Office, organized on Monday a dialogue session titled "Women in Local Administration: Reality and Challenges," with the participation of parliamentarians, academics, and representatives of civil society institutions.

Assistant Speaker of the Lower House MP Hala Al-Jarrah said that developing local administration and decentralization is considered one of the most important reform steps led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, which was worked on by the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System and included constitutional amendments, as well as the election and political parties laws, in addition to local administration legislation.

She referred to the contents of the royal message addressed to the Committee to Modernize the Political System, particularly regarding "presenting recommendations related to developing legislation governing local administration, expanding the base of popular participation in decision-making, and creating a legislative and political environment that guarantees the role of youth and women in public life." She added that advancing the state begins with advancing the cities and towns managed by municipalities, noting that raising the performance level of each municipality means advancing all of Jordan, stressing that decentralized development is not merely an administrative duty but a sovereign issue, a strategic interest, and a matter of social security that requires the application of best practices to enhance participation and good governance.

Al-Jarrah stressed that empowering women is no longer a formal or peripheral matter but has become a necessity as an essential partner in decision-making, affirming that empowerment cannot be achieved through legal texts alone but requires a supportive legislative and political environment, in addition to training and supporting institutions from civil society and political parties.

She noted that the parliament today includes, for the first time, 27 women, considering this as reflecting a trend focused on the quality of participation and enabling women to effectively contribute to financial and development committees and policymaking.

For her part, Vice President of Yarmouk University Ruba Bataineh said that this session represents an important milestone for discussing the reality and challenges of Jordanian women’s participation in local administration in order to prepare a conceptual paper contributing to the development of this path, given its intersection with developmental, democratic, and political reform dimensions.

She pointed out that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, has made advanced steps in modernizing the political system and enhancing popular participation, with women having an active presence as an authentic partner in national and development decision-making.

Bataineh praised the partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation – Jordan Office, expressing hope that the session would produce practical recommendations that enhance qualitative participation of women in local administration.

The center’s director, Batoul Al-Muhaisen, said that the session aims to provide a dialogue space for exchanging experiences and building participatory approaches that combine academic vision and field experience, contributing to describing the reality of women’s participation in local administration and proposing practical solutions to enhance their role.

Al-Muhaisen stressed that women’s empowerment is an integral part of societal empowerment as a whole, emphasizing the importance of joint work with partners, foremost among them the Konrad Adenauer Foundation – Jordan Office, in order to translate the outcomes of the dialogue into practical and implementable initiatives in municipal and development work.

Chairman of the New Ramtha Municipality Committee, Jamal Abu Obaid, said that municipal work today is based on partnership with the local community and the private sector to enhance development and improve services, noting that the municipality has sought since the formation of its committee to implement development projects that contribute to creating job opportunities and supporting the local economy.

He explained that empowering women in local administration represents a state approach within the modernization tracks led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, pointing out that Jordanian women have proven their presence in decision-making positions despite the continuation of some societal challenges that require strengthening the supportive environment for their effective participation, in addition to the importance of involving youth in municipal work to ensure sustainable development.

Executive Director of Partners-Jordan (PJ), Ali Fayyad, pointed to the importance of partnerships between the civil society sector and government institutions in supporting local development, stressing that empowering women and youth in local administration represents a key pillar for achieving effective participation and development sustainability.

Public sector reform and development expert Luna Obaidat stressed the importance of developing institutional capacities in local administration, noting that enhancing the participation of women and youth contributes to improving performance efficiency and achieving good governance, calling for the application of best institutional practices to ensure the sustainable impact of the session’s recommendations on local administration.

The session saw wide-ranging discussions moderated by Assistant Director of the Center Tariq Abdul Nasser in the presence of a number of MPs, academics, and representatives of civil society institutions.

//Petra// AF