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“Votes for women candidates nearly doubled in the last election,” says Nicolas Burniat, UN Women Representative in Jordan. “It was a historic shift, and we’re committed to ensuring this momentum continues.”
More Jordanian women are joining in political processes, says Al-Kharisha, “because the laws have started creating space for women to lead and participate.” As part of Jordan’s commitment to inclusive governance, it passed a series of new legislation:
- The Elections Law (2022): increases the quota for women in the House of Representatives to 18, allocating one seat per electoral district. It also places women and youth higher on party lists in local elections
- Political Parties Law (2022): requires women form at least 20 per cent of a political party’s founding members
- Local Administration Law No. 22 (2021): raises women’s representation in local and regional councils to 25 per cent – an increase from 10 per cent
While these changes are important, Al-Kharisha and Kassab agree: Adding women candidates to the ballot, alone, isn’t enough to empower regular Jordanian women. They must also see and understand how central they are to shaping the country’s political future.
UN Women has been working closely with civil society organizations and leaders like Al-Kharisha, as well as the IEC, the Government of Jordan, and other key national stakeholders to ensure women’s voices are heard. This includes working together on “Our Shared Responsibility,” a national awareness programme that promotes women’s political participation through a network of influencers and dialogues.
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