King Hussein Foundation study calls for review of national legislation to combat gender inequality

AMMAN — The Information and Research Centre – King Hussein Foundation (IRCKHF) on Thursday released a gender discrimination and inequality study based on legislative review and interviews with national experts. 

The study, titled “Gender Discrimination and Inequality in Jordan”, was done in partnership with UN Women and the Netherlands, according to an IRCKHF statement. The report seeks to understand the extent and root-causes of gender inequalities in Jordan by focusing on the socioeconomic dynamics and legislative barriers hampering women’s empowerment, the statement said, adding that the study provides a set of policy recommendations for decision makers and other stakeholders.

“This assessment has shown us that even though there have been several small successes when it comes to reducing gender discrimination in Jordan, we will only have overall positive changes when we work on policy and social norms in parallel and comprehensively,” IRCKHF Director Aida Essaid said in the statement.

Key findings of the study have been presented to civil society organisations, international agencies, embassies, the government, experts and media. 

In particular, the research found that traditional gender roles and stereotypical portrayals of women and girls are reinforced through several mechanisms, including social practices and representation in the media. The research further reflects on the impact of such practices on the general public and how they indirectly contribute to further limit women’s participation and engagement in the public sphere, according to the statement.

The study presents policy recommendations, such as conducting a comprehensive review of national legislation to ensure that they are in line with Jordan’s international commitments on women’s empowerment and that principles of gender equality are upheld.

It also recommends a review of the national educational curricula to ensure that men and women are equally represented and gender stereotypes are removed, the statement said, adding that there is a need to implement a comprehensive strategy to modify or eliminate patriarchal attitudes and discriminatory gender stereotypes in collaboration with civil society and religious institutions.