Towards gender equality

The just ended one-day conference “Working towards Gender Mainstreamed Governmental Bodies”, organised by USAID Takamol-Gender Programme, in cooperation with the Jordanian National Commission for Women, is certainly the valuable start of a long process aiming to attain gender equality in public service.

The meeting sought to identify partners in the public sector  to work with, as well as issues the programme needs to focus on with a view to reaching gender fairness.

It is important that the government develop, endorse and then apply a policy aiming at gender equality. That can only happen when women in all walks of life are empowered, when their skills and knowledge are tapped to the benefit of the entire nation.

Initiatives like Takamol are important, but not enough.

There is need for political will to effect positive change in this direction; the government should adopt an action plan to bring about gender equality at all levels.

Once the policy is in place, it needs to have the backup of legislation in all areas of government where gender equality has yet to sprout roots.

Adopting legislation might sound easy, as a matter of principle, but there is need of sustained work to make that happen.

Certain stereotypes have to be combated, some cultural values and traditions would have to be changed, and the mentality of both genders needs to undergo profound modifications.

In order to help that happen, there is need for awareness-raising campaigns and, most important, of a serious revisiting of school curricula.

The goal is ambitious — for most nations across the globe, to be sure — but worthy of the efforts that have to be exerted to achieve it.

In Jordan’s case, the basis is there: women are active participants in most domains and quite a few stereotypes have been broken. 

All that is needed is to build on achievements so far and lead the way, at least in the region.