Arab Women’s Committee hears of progress towards equality in Jordan legislation

AMMAN — Jordan has directed its legislation towards ensuring the social and economic empowerment of women, Minister of Social Development Basma Ishaqat said on Monday, citing recent amendments to the 2019 Labour Law and the Civil Service Law for the year 2020.

Ishaqat made her remarks during the 39th meeting of the Arab Women’s Committee, which was hosted by Saudi Arabia on Sunday and Monday in Riyadh under the umbrella of the League of Arab States.

The amendments to both laws, according to details provided at the event, aimed to “strengthen women's economic rights in order to improve their conditions and create a friendly and appropriate work environment for them”.

Both amendments dealt with equal pay and obligated employers to create child-friendly work environments by adding a nursery or granting their female employees access to one.

Ishaqat stressed that Jordan has been one of the first countries to abide by international agreements and covenants in this field and put them into practice based on the responsibility it derives from “our true religion, our Jordanian constitution and the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah”, according to a statement provided by the ministry.

The minister indicated that the Jordanian government has also adopted a new approach in dealing with female victims of violence in all its forms, through both preventive and protective measures.

“In accordance with institutional standards built on international best practices and reviewed legislation that promotes the success of these practices, the Kingdom has decided to amend its laws for a more women-friendly work environment,” the ministry statement read.

The Riyadh-held session included an official meeting that discussed a number of topics on the agenda, notably reviewing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Empowerment of Women in the Arab Region.

The session also followed up on the recommendations of the Ministerial Conference “Enhancing the Role of Women in Arab Societies — Lessons Learned from All Over the World”,stressing the need to develop mechanisms for cooperation with relevant international organisations and reviewing topics submitted by member states.