Women underrepresented in professional associations — SIGI

AMMAN — Women make up 26 per cent of lawyers and engineers in Jordan but have no representation in either of the professions' associations, according to a recent report.

The study also found that the medical sector, which comprises 30 per cent women,    is underrepresented with 15 per cent of the Jordan Medical Association's seats held by women.

The study, conducted by the Sisterhood is Global Institute (SIGI), uses figures for the number of women in each sector taken from the Department of Statistic's “Jordan in Numbers” 2018 report. 

The representation percentages, however, are calculated by SIGI, which analysed the latest association elections. 

In a statement made available to The Jordan Times, the Jordan Medical Association said that two doctors, Manar Shawabkeh and Farah Shawawreh, won seats in the 2019-2022 round of elections held in April.

The two doctors are the first women to ever make it on the association’s board.

The Jordan Bar Association has not elected a female board member for its last two rounds of elections, the latest of which was for the years 2017-2019.

“It is not a matter of sexism, as many imply. The association has many female members and has had numerous female board members in the past. The results of the last two rounds just happen to come out that way,” Mohammed Momani, a lawyer and an association board member, told The Jordan Times.

He added: “New elections will be held this year, and we wish our female colleagues the best of luck.”

The Jordanian Engineers Association, in their 2018-2022 election round, had no female seat winners, although members said this was not due to discrimination.

Kahraman Awad, a member since 2005, said that women are “active members in the association, but are perhaps less interested in board memberships”.