'Ministry to evaluate leadership programme for women in public sector'

AMMAN — The Ministry of Public Sector Development will conduct a study towards the end of this year to evaluate the impact of its programmes for empowering women in leadership positions in the public sector.

Speaking Thursday at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of the ministry's capacity building programme for this year, Public Sector Development Minister Khleef Al Khawaldeh highlighted the programme's aim to enhance women's capabilities to be "fit" for filling leadership and administrative positions in public agencies.

The five-week-long programme is aimed at equipping participants with skills in leadership and strategic planning, human resources management, building creative work groups, public sector work ethics and project management. 

The minister explained that the study will monitor the ratio of women's presence in senior positions in public agencies before and after implementing the cross-country programme. 

If no changes are recorded, the ministry might come up with a quota system to ensure women's representation in senior positions, Khawaldeh said.

Meanwhile, he noted that women's "outstanding performance and significant contributions" are the best indicators of their competence in such jobs, calling for capitalising on men's support for their female colleagues as well as women's support for each other. 

A total of 31 female public sector employees participated in the training programme, which was held in partnership with the USAID Takamol Gender Programme and the Jordanian National Commission for Women.

Last year, the ministry's programme trained 180 female participants, and it is expected to train a similar number this year, in addition to allocating one training programme for northern governorates and another for southern governorates.

In addition to the capacity-building project, the ministry will soon hold a forum that brings graduates together with women decision makers in the public sector to share success stories and to address challenges facing women.

Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Tahrir Qaq, an employee at the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission, cited a growing attention to supporting women in senior positions in the public sector, highlighting the need for all stakeholders to cooperate to sustain and enhance the empowerment of women.