Amman, July 13 (Petra) -- Minister of Social Development and Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, Wafa Bani Mustafa, patronized the launch of the Women’s Forum within the Jordan Forum for Policy Dialogue on Monday evening.

The launch, which coincided with Jordan's national occasions, featured a panel discussion titled "Jordanian Women in the Vision and Aspirations of His Majesty the King," drawing participation from prominent political, academic, and parliamentary figures.

In her keynote address, Bani Mustafa stated that the launch of the Women's Forum marks a significant milestone in recognizing women as equal partners in Jordan's development and modernization. She noted that responsible dialogue is essential for shaping national policies that enhance women's participation in decision-making roles.

Bani Mustafa emphasized that the King's vision has placed women's empowerment at the center of the modern state. This commitment has translated into constitutional, legislative, and political reforms that have bolstered women's public representation, leading to historically high female participation in successive parliaments. She also praised Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah's national efforts in human capital development and the empowerment of women and girls.

The minister added that the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment continues to implement programs in line with Jordan's economic, political, and administrative modernization paths. These include raising women's economic participation, fostering entrepreneurship, and expanding financial inclusion. She highlighted initiatives like the "Institutional Stamp" for gender equity and the political school for women, which recently graduated its 15th cohort focused on local administration.

Furthermore, Bani Mustafa pointed to the Social Development Law of 2024 as a qualitative leap in regulating social work, creating job opportunities, and linking women's economic empowerment directly to family stability and national economic resilience.

Hamid Batayneh, President of the Jordan Forum for Policy Dialogue, said the organization prioritizes women’s issues in the belief that they are primary partners in comprehensive reform. He added that the newly established Women's Forum will serve as a national platform to exchange expertise, draft initiatives, and contribute to public policy-making in line with royal directives.

Lina Shabib, President of the newly formed Women’s Forum, said the body will gather female leaders to build partnerships with public, private, and academic institutions. The forum plans to organize specialized seminars to develop supportive policies for women in sustainable development.

The launch concluded with a panel discussion featuring Senator Suhad Al-Jundi and Member of Parliament Fleiha Al-Khudeir, moderated by Abeer Dababneh. The panelists reviewed the progress of Jordanian women's empowerment under the Hashemite leadership, highlighting qualitative shifts in their political, economic, and social standing, and called for continued efforts to elevate women into senior leadership positions.

//Petra// AF