Strengthening Women’s Role in Light of UN Reports on Jordan

The program's objectives are to expand social dialogue on gender equality and strengthen policy-making and advocacy for female empowerment. USAID Takamol delivers direct and in-kind technical and financial assistance, including training and grants, to build the capacity of national and grassroots organizations, including civil society actors, and government, as well as supports USAID Implementing Partners to integrate gender equity and female empowerment principles and practices into their work. The program is funded by USAID and implemented by IREX, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world. The program's methodology involves reviewing the content of the recommendations of Conventions' committees and the Universal Periodic Review for human rights and women's rights in Jordan, categorizing relevant reform priorities, and developing a clear roadmap. The roadmap categorizes women's rights priorities by civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. The categories include discrimination, services, empowerment, fighting violence and strengthening protection systems, and participation. Discrimination refers to any distinction, exclusion, or restriction made on the basis of sex, which purposes or impact can lead to weakening or sabotaging the recognition of women's human rights and their basic freedoms. Services refer to the women's ability to enjoy rights within the state's performance in delivering services, education, health, and other types of services. Empowerment refers to the policies adopted by the state in the form of programs that help women access their rights, such as legal help, education, and awareness. Fighting violence and strengthening protection systems refer to all means that protect women in general from all forms of violence, including passing legislations that guarantee women's rights and protecting them from violence, criminalizing violence, and possibility of accessing the legal system. Participation refers to all types of political participation, including running in elections, voting in Parliamentary elections, taking up public positions in the state, engaging women in consultations on political, civil, and economic issues that are important to them. Jordan has ratified several international conventions, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. However, Jordan has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, and the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The recommendations relevant to women published by the various conventions' committees and the Universal Periodic Review until November 30, 2018, are listed in a table. The table includes the total number of recommendations relevant to women, the committee that made the recommendations, and the issue date. The recommendations cover various areas, including discrimination, services, empowerment, fighting violence and strengthening protection systems, and participation.