Activists hopeful for 'effective role' for women in new Cabinet

AMMAN — Women's rights activists on Monday said they were hopeful that His Majesty King Abdullah’s directives to the newly appointed premier to increase women’s participation in various fields will be translated into action.

In his Letter of Designation to Hani Mulki, the King said that women, proven competent in all fields, must take their rightful place in society and the labour market. 

“The rate of women’s participation is still unsatisfactory, a matter which constitutes a major obstacle in our development process that we have to overcome,” King Abdullah said.

The Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI) issued a statement praising the King’s remarks, expressing hope that they “will be taken seriously" and that immediate action would be taken, including increasing the number of female ministers.

“We are hopeful that women’s participation in the upcoming government will be effective and with important and non-traditional portfolios,” SIGI said in the statement.

The institute said that since 1979, when the first female minister, Inam Mufti, was appointed, 24 women have assumed 45 portfolios.

The women’s group also praised the five female ministers out of 28 who served in the outgoing government of Abdullah Ensour, representing 17.8 per cent, saying it was a positive step.

SIGI and the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) called for increasing women’s participation in political positions to reach 30 per cent.

The JNCW said it was proud of King Abdullah’s recognition of and confidence in the achievements of Jordanian women.

Jordanian Women’s Union President Tahani Shakhshir also voiced hope for higher representation of women.

“We strongly believe that women should be able to obtain their rights and assume various positions as stipulated in the Constitution,” Shakhshir told The Jordan Times.

But she added that “because of the many social barriers that are hindering women’s natural advancement in many spheres, we welcome any decision that would further boost women’s assumption of decision-making positions”.