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AMMAN — Three Jordanian youths took it upon themselves to introduce innovative projects to increase women's participation in the labour market. 

Their efforts paid off after winning the first three places in the Youth Pitches initiative on Thursday, which was launched by the CPF and the Arab Youth Centre (AYC) in August and held for the first time in Jordan and for the fourth time on an Arab level, under the slogan “empowering and enhancing the economic role of women”.

The event was attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein and UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairperson of the AYC Shamma Bint Sohail Al Mazrouei.

The Youth Pitches initiative, in its Jordanian edition, aims to showcase young Jordanians’ talents, investing in their skills and abilities and supporting them in turning their innovative ideas into projects that contribute to Jordan’s progress.

The first prize went to the “Threads Initiative”, which was pitched by Bassma Nazer with a focus on empowering women and raising awareness about certain topics such as gender-based violence and early marriage as well as using their skills to produce goods they could sell and benefit from.

“Our focus is on women who are not allowed to work from outside their homes,” Nazer told The Jordan Times.

Every embroidery set sold supports another set for a girl in the camp, and this creates a unique bond between the girls in the camp and our customers, Nazer added.

Threads Initiative also focuses on creating partnerships with women in refugee camps to produce product lines and sell them worldwide to increase their income and enhance creativity, according to Nazer.  

The future goal for the project, she said, is to expand the idea to other refugee camps to target women in need.

She expressed pride in receiving the award in the presence of Crown Prince Hussein, who supported this initiative.

"This is an important moment for us because it will encourage us to work harder and expand our activities to include more women and introduce more production lines, which will eventually reflect positively on their communities," she added.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Batikhi, founder and CEO of Bilforon application, a technology company focused on developing tools and applications for managing and analysing online food orders, described his second place win as a victory for women's economic empowerment in Jordan.

"Our application allows women to cook from home and sell their products to consumers using smart technology. Most of the customers of the start-up are working parents and catering companies," Batikhi told The Jordan Times.

"I came up with the idea after realising that many women have business potential but lack the right tools and resources to develop and grow their business and skill," Batikhi said, adding that Bilforon provides a delivery service for home cooked meals in Jordan.

“Through Bilforon, we are helping women and girls in improving their livelihoods. They are now able to make life-changing decisions thanks to the income they receive from working with us,” the Bilforon founder and CEO said. 

Future plans aim to expand "our network outside the Kingdom and to increase the number of women in the application from 200 to 500 by 2020", Batikhi stressed. 

"Prince Hussein's presence today is a great support for me and all the youth in Jordan. This will encourage us to continue to become innovative and think of pioneering projects that benefit our society and its economy," he added. 

“Safaa” Company for Home Maintenance clinched third place and its representative Lelas Daama said the idea behind the company was to train women in the plumbing profession, since "we live in a conservative society and women prefer not to allow strangers into their homes".

"We trained some 560 women to become plumbers in a bid to introduce them to a much-needed profession that would serve their peers and at the same time break social barriers regarding this profession," Daama told The Jordan Times.

Daama added that the idea is to empower women socially, financially and psychologically within their own communities.

"We strive to be the bridge that would encourage women to enter the labour market and assume unconventional jobs," Daama stressed.

AMMAN — The Dead Sea road and the seven bridges being built along it are more than 90 per cent complete, according to a statement by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.

The construction began after a flash flood killed 21 people, most of whom were schoolchildren on a field trip, in that area in October of last year.

One of the bridges that led to the site of the search and rescue operation collapsed the morning after the incident.

In previous remarks to The Jordan Times, the Civil Defence Department (CDD) said: “The bridge that is located down the road of the hotels area and leads to the site of the tragedy collapsed. However, it did not affect the search and rescue efforts because our machineries were already stationed at the site since Thursday afternoon [October 25, 2018] and the collapsed bridge is far away from the site where we are operating.”

The Dead Sea-Aqaba road was then closed off until ministry employees and a contractor reopened it after creating a detour.

A year after the incident, the ministry said that the construction of the road and bridges is 90-95 per cent complete.

“The contractors will continue working throughout the winter, finishing their work in an estimated five months,” said Falah Omoush, Public Works and Housing Minister.

The ministry was also mandated to prepare a detailed report on bridges and infrastructure conditions following the incident, a task which has already been accomplish.

AMMAN — It is important to have a clear framework to assess performance and enhance the level of internal monitoring at public departments, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said on Thursday. 

During a meeting with the team tasked with reviewing violations found in the 2018 Audit Bureau’s report, Razzaz praised the cooperation of all public departments with the bureau and their work towards rectifying violations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The prime minister listened to a briefing by Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs Sami Daoud on the most important violations and issues.

Daoud said that the amount of money expected to be retrieved this year could reach JD110 million. A total of 37 cases were referred to the Jordan Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (JIACC) for graft suspicions and 48 cases were referred to the attorney general.  

The minister said that the outcome of monitoring this year includes 490 inquiries related to 128 public departments, companies where the government owns more than 50 per cent of shares, 99 municipalities and 23 joint services councils.

Of the total, 220 inquiries have been immediately dealt with, while the other 270 have been dealt with through retrieving public money, referring to the JIACC and through Cabinet decisions, he added. 

Daoud noted that 48 public departments did not receive any inquiries about their services, which is considered an “unprecedented achievement”.

Audit Bureau President Abed Kharabsheh said the bureau’s goal is to serve public departments and limit the loss of public money. 

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Spanish counterpart, Josep Borrell, on Thursday affirmed continued bilateral efforts to bolster ties towards broader economic and trade cooperation and coordination on regional causes under the framework of the EU.

During the meeting in Barcelona, Safadi congratulated Borrell on his appointment as high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, as successor to Federica Mogherini.

Safadi and Borrell pointed to continued Jordan-EU efforts to further their partnership and cooperation on resolving regional issues, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Safadi also held talks with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini that went over bilateral cooperation and regional developments.

In his meeting with Mogherini, Safadi expressed appreciation for her efforts to develop Jordan-Europe relations and the bloc’s stances on regional causes.

Safadi also held meetings with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki, Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar and Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit. 

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in Cairo on Thursday, covering the brotherly and strategic ties between Jordan and Egypt, and the latest regional developments.

The bilateral and expanded talks, held at Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace, covered the strong bilateral ties and keenness to bolster cooperation, especially in the fields of economy, trade and investment, according to a Royal Court statement.

The expanded talks, attended by senior officials on both sides, addressed the importance of maintaining coordination on various issues of mutual concern, in order to advance shared interests and serve Arab causes.

The need to support joint Arab action and unify positions on the challenges facing the region was also stressed, the statement said.

The two leaders also discussed regional developments, the foremost of which is the Palestinian cause, underscoring the need to support the Palestinians in gaining their just and legitimate rights to establish their independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and in line with the two-state solution.

The two leaders denounced all unilateral actions that undermine chances for peace, according to the statement.

On the Syrian crisis, the two sides reaffirmed the need for a political solution that preserves Syria’s territorial integrity and the unity of its people and ensures the safe and voluntary return of refugees.

His Majesty underscored Jordan’s rejection of any infringement on Syria’s sovereignty and threats to its unity, stressing the importance of respecting international law on interstate relations, the statement said.

Talks also covered efforts to reach political solutions to regional crises, as well as regional and international efforts to fight terrorism within a holistic approach.

President Sisi and his spouse, Mrs Entissar Amer, hosted a luncheon in honour of Their Majesties, attended by senior officials from the two countries.

Earlier, the King was accorded an official welcoming ceremony upon arrival at Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace.

Their Majesties returned home Thursday.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, in a phone call on Thursday with Iraqi President Barham Salih, discussed bilateral ties and the latest regional developments.  

In the phone call, King Abdullah stressed the need to step up efforts to reach political solutions to regional crises, especially in light of the current developments in Syria, according to a Royal Court statement. 

His Majesty affirmed Jordan’s rejection of any infringement on Syria’s sovereignty or threats to its unity, calling for respecting international law on interstate relations, the statement said. 

AMMAN — “Visiting”, a project curated by Davide Quadrio centred on the identification of objects belonging to everyday life in Jordan and other places, will open at Darat Al Funun on Tuesday, according to an Italian embassy statement.

The event is organised by the Italian embassy in collaboration with Arthub, Shanghai/Hong Kong. The event will feature work by Andrea Anastasio and Stefano Arienti with a special performance by Alessandro Sciarroni.

The project will open with an introduction by curator Simone Frangi and Davide Quadrio at 5:30pm. The exhibition will run through November 14.

AMMAN — The National Centre for Curriculum Development (NCCD) seeks to develop schoolbooks and curricula in accordance with best practices and the Kingdom’s needs, Head of the NCCD Higher Council Azmi Mahafzah said on Thursday.

In a press conference, Mahafzah said the centre reviews and develops the general framework of curricula starting with early childhood all the way to the 12th grade, as well as educational outcomes, evaluation and teaching strategies and performance indicators, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

Mahafzah said that recent changes to the mathematics and science curricula for the first and fourth grades were the outcomes of meetings with experts and research into “advanced international practices in the field”.

The meetings set the general curriculum framework and then floated a tender that stipulated designing, translating and adapting the curricula in accordance with Jordan’s environment. He noted that curricula amendments are made “gradually” and follow a scientific approach. 

AMMAN — HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Thursday witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) and the Arab Youth Centre (AYC) to establish a youth hub to encourage innovation and creativity among the younger generation.

The youth entrepreneurship hub will be established in Jordan as part of the AYC’s regional network of youth centres in the United Arab Emirates providing incubators for youth creativity and innovation.

The new youth hub will provide a platform to build the capacities of Jordanian youth, hone their skills and utilise their potential in service of Jordan’s progress and prosperity.

UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairperson of the Arab Youth Centre Shamma Bint Sohail Al Mazrouei and CPF CEO Tamam Mango signed the memorandum.   

Under the agreement, youth will be invited to submit proposals for the design of the hub’s facilities, so it can meet their aspirations and creative demands.

Crown Prince Hussein also attended a ceremony to announce the winners of the Youth Pitches initiative, launched by the CPF and the Arab Youth Centre in August and held for the first time in Jordan and for the fourth time in the region, under the slogan “empowering and enhancing the economic role of women”. 

The Crown Prince was briefed on six of the projects that qualified to the final stages and featured innovative use of technological solutions, interactive platforms and non-traditional participation of women in the labour market. 

The Youth Pitches initiative aims to showcase young Jordanians’ talents, investing in their skills and abilities and supporting them in turning their innovative ideas into projects that contribute to Jordan’s progress.

Monetary prizes were awarded to the top three projects by the Arab Youth Centre (see story on page 3).  

In remarks at the ceremony, Al Mazrouei highlighted the deep-rooted Jordanian-UAE relations and emphasised their leaderships’ shared vision to promote youth engagement and capitalise on their potential.

“Our partnership with the CPF, under the leadership of Crown Prince Hussein, stems from our deep conviction that the youth will be the ones to determine what is best for their future, which will serve the developmental progress in Jordan,” Al Mazrouei stressed. 

Mango noted the significance of the partnership with the Arab Youth Centre, expressing keenness to continue this cooperation in the interest of young Jordanians, especially women.

“Women’s economic participation remains low in Jordan with 15 per cent in comparison to men’s economic participation, which stands at 56 per cent,” Mango said.

She added that the rate of women’s unemployment in Jordan is 27 per cent, while the rate of men’s employment is 17 per cent.

Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh and UAE Ambassador to Jordan Ahmed Ali Mohammed Al Balushi also attended the event.

AMMAN — Wadi Finan Art Gallery created three solo exhibitions for Amman Design Week.

The gallery showcases the exhibition by multimedia artist Dodi Tabbaa titled “Chapters: Phases and Stages”, Hayan Maani’s “Arabic Words” focusing on calligraphy and Hana Ghawi and Raya Kassisieh’s “Do you see the light?” for LAMBA neon.

“We showcase established artists as well as emerging artists. So at the moment, we have three generations represented here,” Suha Lallas, the curator of the three exhibitions and owner of Wadi Finan Art Gallery told The Jordan Times on Monday.

“Every year, Wadi Finan Gallery participates in Amman Design Week. For this year, I put these three exhibitions together as the Amman Design Week theme of possibilities also runs through different ages and backgrounds,” she added.

“These artists are also experimenting with different possibilities of different mediums,” she said.

Dodi Tabbaa, the “most-established artist of the showcase” was born in 1952 in Quetta, Pakistan.  Her exhibition features tapestry, paper scrolls, textiles, prints and porcelain plates.

“She is very creative and works with many mediums,” Lallas said. 

Tabbaa’s solo exhibition brings together a culmination of thoughts, processes and experiments that she has been exploring over the last six years, according to a gallery statement.

“I have a curiosity around mediums and ways of producing work. My background in graphic design and textiles pushed me to appreciate industrial materials and methods. My knowledge in studio arts has allowed me to be playful — almost rebellious — with these materials,” Tabbaa was quoted as saying in the statement.

The Jordanian Hayan Maani is “a multi-talented artist whose work covers a wide array of design directions”, from paintings and sculpture to calligraphy and interior design, according to the gallery. 

His solo exhibition contains calligraphic sculptures and paintings representing Arabic letters and words.

LAMBA neon’s name is derived from the Arabic word for light bulb. Working with neon art, they “resurrect an 80s trend” and include English and Arabic “affirmative and witty phrases” in their artwork.

 “We usually have our pieces mounted on frames, but here we wanted everything directly on the wall and we also used mirrors,” Ghawi said in an interview with The Jordan Times on Monday.

“Everything you see in the exhibition is things you hear a lot. It is just everyday, normal things. Some of it is witty and some of it is very affirmative,” she noted, adding “We only used handwritten fonts. We used my mom’s handwriting, Raya’s and mine.”

The exhibitions will be on display until the end of the month and entry is free of charge, according to the organisers.