Local women gather for workshop on building leadership skills

AMMAN — A group of local women leaders from different backgrounds and sectors gathered on Tuesday in Amman to discuss means of enhancing their leadership skills and capabilities.

The three-day Gender Leadership Workshop, which is part of the Women as Partners in Progress (WPP) is being implemented by World of Letters and funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative.

Director of the George and Lisa Zakhem Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace at the University of Maryland May Rihani provided former ministers, lawyers, investors and journalists, as well as emerging civil society leaders, with techniques to enhance leadership skills and capabilities, according to a press release.

“The World of Letters organised the leadership workshop with Rihani so that the participants are able to influence their circles and advance their causes,” the press release added.

The first day’s workshop focused on the different types of leadership, the importance of vision and mindset and the importance of communication, as well as explanation of what the characteristics, habits and behaviours of a leader could and should be, according to the statement.

World of Letters’ Managing Director Mayyada Abu Jaber highlighted the accomplishment of the WPP project saying that the main aim was to create a change in the mindsets of the participants towards gender equality and inclusion in the economic sector.

“This can only be accomplished through influencing legislation, the community, the education system and by calling for action among all facets of society,” Abu Jaber told the participants.

To achieve this mindset change, Abu Jaber added that a national mobilisation campaign would be launched to sensitise both men and women towards greater economic participation of women.