Princess Basma Award winners announced

AMMAN — On the occasion of HRH Princess Basma’s birthday on May 11, the winners of the Princess Basma Award for Human Development and Community Service for 2014 have been announced. 

This year’s award has been granted to young filmmakers whose films deal with development issues, according to a statement from Princess Basma’s office. 

During the past two years, the award increasingly has focused on youth, reflecting Princess Basma’s conviction that only by investing systematically in young Jordanians through mainstream policies and programmes, can the country’s human resource development process realistically be achieved.

Princess Basma has dedicated her career to promoting sustainable human development, gender equity and women’s rights. 

In 1977 she established the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), which has become a flagship organisation focusing on empowering communities and spearheading local participation in the planning and implementation of development projects. 

JOHUD’s outreach within communities across the Kingdom operates through a vibrant network of 50 community development centres, the statement said.

Since Princess Basma launched the Goodwill Campaign (GWC) in 1991, the campaign has reached out to a large number of sectors, individuals and volunteers, “resulting in one of the most dynamic and effective philanthropic initiatives in the country, that touches the lives of thousands of individuals, families and communities”. 

The GWC provides direct assistance to people living in poverty, as well as training and capacity building to improve families’ living standards, with funds to generate income. 

The medical assistance programme and university scholarship scheme have become two of the most important components of the GWC, benefitting a growing number of people of all ages.

In 1992, Princess Basma established the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) to address issues of gender discrimination. 

Over the years, the JNCW has built strategic alliances with governmental and non-governmental entities to promote gender mainstreaming and advance women’s socio-economic and political empowerment. 

In partnership with other stakeholders, the commission leads national efforts in formulating and advocating for amendments to discriminatory laws against women.

The princess is honorary human development ambassador for UNDP and goodwill ambassador for UN Women, as well as goodwill ambassador for UNFPA. 

Princess Basma holds a doctorate degree in development from Oxford University. 

She is married to Walid Kurdi, and has four children, Farah, Ghazi, Saad and Zein Al Sharaf, and five grandchildren, Fatima Al Zahra, Zein Al Sharaf, Abdulaziz, Aysha and Iman.