Women on Wheels initiative charts new path in empowerment for Jordanian women

AMMAN — Holcim Group, a Swiss-French multinational company that manufactures building materials, has launched a gender diversity programme called “Women on Wheels” in Jordan with the aim of creating new opportunities and integrating Jordanian women into various sectors.

This initiative aims to offer Jordanian women with unconventional work experiences. The programme has paved the way for women to enter the traditionally male-dominated field of truck driving, marking a significant shift in societal norms, according to a presentation during the launch ceremony in Amman on Tuesday.

Farouk Al Hadidi, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Labour attended the event among other stakeholders during the event which honoured the achievements of two Jordanian women, Reem Al Rawajbeh and Nisreen Al Labadi, who completed the training programme organised by Lafarge Concrete Jordan. 

The two women currently work with Lafarge Concrete Jordan. Labadi and Rawajbeh, both now mixer truck drivers, expressed their gratitude for the training programme and subsequent work opportunity.

Ali Said, general manager of Lafarge Concrete Jordan, said that the launch of the programme is part of  the company’s social responsibility.

The company official said that Lafarge Jordan has attracted a number of Jordanian women to join the six-month training programme. 

Samaan Samaan, the CEO of Lafarge in Jordan, affirmed that this programme aims to support women in all roles and recognises their pivotal contribution to the progress, prosperity and advancement of society. 

Sahar Aloul, a women’s rights activist and executive team member at SADAQA, a local NGO focused on promoting a women-friendly work environment, highlighted the obstacles that hinder women’s greater involvement in the workforce. To effectively integrate and retain women in male-dominated industries such as truck driving, multiple perspectives must be considered, she added.

Astrid Van Der Burgt, head of Road Safety at Holcim Group, stressed the company’s strong belief in diversity and inclusiveness, highlighting the global launch of their “Women on Wheels” programme. 

Initial trials conducted in countries like Uganda and South Africa revealed that women drivers outperformed their male counterparts in terms of fuel consumption, vehicle maintenance, repair operations, accident rates and overall safety performance indicators, according to the company official.