AMMAN — Minister of Social Development and Chair of the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment Wafa Bani Mustafa has participated in a session on women and decision-making with UN Women, held as part of the high-level executive meeting in Muscat. 

 

The session focused on the progress made since the announcement of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

 

Bani Mustafa stressed the Kingdom's political will to enhance women’s political participation, which has been reflected in the outcomes of the Royal Committee for Modernising the Political System. 

 

The minister highlighted key legislative achievements, including the amendment to Article 6 of the Constitution, which guarantees women’s empowerment and support, ensuring their active role in building society with equal opportunities and protection from violence and discrimination.

 

She also referred to the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment’s focus on implementing the Royal Committee’s outcomes through various activities targeting women, youth, and people with disabilities.

 

Bani Mustafa underscored the importance of recent amendments to the elections and political parties laws, which have increased women’s political representation. 

 

The minister said that the percentage of women in the 20th Lower House has risen to 19.6 per cent, up from 11.5 per cent, and women’s representation in the Senate reached 14.5 per cent, noting that the percentage of female voters in the 2024 elections surpassed that of male voters.

 

She discussed the launch of the "You are half the country" campaign, an initiative aimed at boosting women’s political participation and raising awareness about key legislative changes such as the Elections Law, the Political Parties Law, and provisions related to violence against women in public life.

 

Bani Mustafa stressed that engaging women in political life is essential for addressing social issues, as women in decision-making positions prioritise the concerns of their communities. 

 

The minister added that studies show that female legislators are more attuned to societal needs and responsive to the demands of their constituencies.