EU-funded project to support CBOs concludes

AMMAN — Motivators for Training, a non-profit company, hosted a closing ceremony of the European Union-funded project “Community-Based Organisations and Territorial Approach for Local Development”.

The project was carried out in collaboration with community-based organisations (CBOs) in the Southern Shouneh and Dulail districts, according to a statement from the organisers.

The project aims to address the urgent needs of local governance in Balqa and Zarqa governorates, by enabling CBOs in these areas to participate in the local policy formulation. 

The support and empowerment will help enhance accountability and transparency to reach an effective dialogue between the local organisations and the authorities on drafting local policies, read the statement.

Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Musa Al Maaytah stated the importance of enabling local CBOs in the Southern Shouneh and Dulail districts to participate in the public policy-making process and enhance accountability and transparency.

Maaytah stressed that the role of local community organisations is an essential part of the development efforts.

EU Ambassador to Jordan Maria Hadjitheodosiou, affirmed the EU’s support to civil society organisations that can and should play a key role in improving governance and local development, fostering accountability and transparency, and reinforcing inclusive policy-making. 

“Supporting and empowering Jordanian CBOs to be able to engage in policy dialogue, to participate in policy-making processes, to build local networks, and to gain opportunities and skills for interactions with local authorities for the benefit of their own communities is the logical thing for us to pursue in the context of our development agenda and in supporting what the government is doing in that regard,” she said.

Zaher Al Nuwairan, a representative of the CBOs in the Southern Shouneh and Dulail districts, highlighted the organisations’ active role in the local development and decision-making process.

Director of Motivators for Training Badi Baqain indicated that the launch of the project came in conjunction with the implementation the decentralisation experience in Jordan in 2018.

The CBOs carried out several community needs assessment sessions in their areas, with the participation of about 400 people from different segments of the community, including the private sector, academia and investors, Baqain said.