Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - National Strategy for Women - Jordan

The National Strategy for Women

The National Strategy for Women was first drafted in 1993 by the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), in collaboration with official and civil agencies involved in women's issues. It is the outcome of several studies, meetings and seminars concerning the situation of women in six fields: legislation, economics, society, education, and health.

The strategy was designed in accordance with the following conceptualisations:

1. It should be consistent with the Jordanian Constitution, Jordanian National Charter, Islamic Jurisprudence, values of Arab and Muslim society, principles of human rights, aspiration to progress and development, regional and international agreements;
2. It should promote cohesion and unity of the family, and portray an image of women as partners of men in society;
3. Comprehensive development is one which leads to the amelioration of women's situation at the legislative, political, social and economic levels and it is the only way women's role and status shall ever be improved;
4. Well-balanced development can only be achieved through an active role for women, and equitable sharing of rights and obligations;
5. Development entails cognisance of social and economic disparity and of the need to level it;
6. Promotion of principles of self-sufficiency, effectiveness, equitable distribution within the qualitative and quantitative development of education, is a necessary condition for an effective participation of women in society.

Objectives and Measures

In the field of Education

Objectives related to this field include developing and improving services and optimising the effectiveness of the educational system in promoting a positive image of women, and emphasizing the key role of women in social development.

Measures:

1. making more prominent in textbooks and curricula the image of women as productive persons who take an active role in development inside the home and outside alongside with that of the women as a child bearers and rearer and housewife;
2. widening the provision of vocational education and training for women particularly in fields that urgently need their participation such as agriculture, industry, and the service sector;
3. developing educational and professional advisory and counselling services in educational and public relations institutions to encourage young girls to choose educational, academic and vocational courses compatible with their individual abilities and the job market needs;
4. curbing school drop-out rates for girls especially in rural and poor areas;
5. supporting the Ministry of Education to reduce illiteracy rates among females;
6. encouraging female students to enrol in universities and postgraduate studies and to become more active in research, teaching in universities and colleges, and to occupy leadership positions in them.