Government Programmes Jordan - Equal Employment Opportunities

Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - Government Programmes - Jordan

Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD)

Women Literacy and Development (1998)

The project provided women who attended the literacy classes with loans to start their own business. The aim was to encourage illiterate women's participation in the learning process. It was funded by Laubach Literacy and was conducted over a year.

Ministry of Education

The projects below feature in Annex I of the National Programme of Action for the Advancement of Women 1998-2002 by the Jordanian National Commission for Women. Descriptions of the projects lacks information about execution date, as well as information regarding whether these projects have been implemented or not.

Analytical Study of the Image of Women and the Family in School Curricula and Text-books

A joint project of the Ministry's Directorate of Educational Research and Studies and the General Directorate of Curricula, the goal of the project is identification of images portrayed of Jordanian women, young women, and the family in general, in school curricula and text-books of Arabic Language, Vocational education and National education for the basic grades of 1st, 5th, and 10th grades, in order to reach a point where school curricula and text-books portray a balanced image of women and young women in Jordan.

Development of a Vocational Guidance Programme for Young Girls

A project of the Ministry's General Directorate of Vocational Education that aims to increase the enrolment of young women in vocational education through training female teachers, educational advisors, and female school principals to upgrade their capabilities in vocational guidance, as well as through campaigns to disseminate vocational awareness and education among female students and their parents through seminars and information releases. In addition, the project aims to conduct specialized one day per week courses over four months.

Training Female Vocational Training Teachers for the Primary Schools

A project of the Ministry's General Directorate of Vocational Education, the project is part of the Vocational Training Female Teachers through specialized workshops (30 workshops at the rate of 8 weeks per workshop). The aim is to train 500 Female Vocational Education teachers in all vocational educations fields (Industry, Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Safety).

A Comprehensive Study of Female Vocational Secondary School Graduates on the Basis of the New Curricula

A project of the Ministry's General Directorate of Vocational Education, the project's aim is to identify market trends regarding quality and performance of female graduates and modify new syllabi and curricula during the experimental phase in accordance with labour market demands. Securing response to the questionnaire used for the study is through media campaigns. Female graduates are followed-up and employers interviewed keeping in mind the scope of the project namely, female vocational educational policy. The study aims to empower women and reduce imported labour.

The Eradication of Illiteracy in the District of Wadi Musa.

The project aims to overcome the problem of illiteracy among males and females by:

reducing its rate from 20% to 7%;

raising the inhabitants' vocational standards in the field of farming and cattle raising;

providing students with various skills in the fields of tailoring and dressmaking, weaving, typing, flowers arranging, handicrafts, family planning, and general health; and,

provide education in subjects suitable for the elderly such as social and health and education and subjects suitable for economic activities in the region bearing in mind tourist attractions in the region.

Ministry of Labour

Training and Employment Support

This program aims to:

Establish a Training and Employment Fund for the purpose of facilitating job placement for the poor and the unemployed;
Finance market-driven formal and on-the job training responsive to private sector needs;
Facilitate job placement through a market based incentive system; and,
Develop and building a Management Information System on the Jordanian labour market.

Ministry of Municipal, Rural and Environmental Affairs

Awareness-raising and Training Programs in Women Participation in Local Government

Through workshops, lectures, and seminars, the project aims to increase women's awareness about:

the laws and regulations of local government;
the important role of local councils in the life and development of the community and achieving women's demands;
the influence of women as candidates and voters in the elections of the local council.

Creation of Economic and Cultural Development Centres for Rural Women

The project aims to establish and equip social, economic, and cultural development centres and enable them to draw up programs and provide services in the following areas:

literacy, education, and raising awareness on health, environmental and home economics;
involvement of women in development and decisions concerning plans for local communities;
small scale productive projects;
handicrafts, recreational projects, rural women's hobbies, and beneficial use of home and local councils' gardens.

Ministry of Planning

Promotion of Gender Equality through Organizational Development

In 1999 the Jordanian and German government signed a technical cooperation agreement for the "Promotion of Gender Equality through Organizational Development" project that aims to increase use of information and training and career opportunities by women. The project is a joint venture carried by the Jordanian National Commission for Women and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ).

Ministry of Social Development

Training and Rehabilitation of Blind Girls (in Arabic)

The Training and Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Girls, was established in 1974. It is the outcome of Jordanian and Saudi collaboration whereby in 1997 the Ministry of Knowledge in Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the Ministry of Social Development in which it declares its commitment to provide for expenditures of the centre, and handle its administration. In return the Ministry of Social Development confirmed its willingness to act as the facilitator for the centre to be able to carry on with its functions in accordance with Jordanian legislation. The Centre aims to educate Jordanian blind girls on how to recite the Koran, read and handle the computer using the Braille technique (Arabic and English), how to move around alone inside and outside the centre, as well as teach them income generating skills such as knitting, phone answering techniques, make simple calculations. The centre equally provides clothing, residence, nutrition, health care and transportation for boarding students, who are also entitled to a monthly cash prize. The centre ensures employment for students who are fit to work. It is capable of receiving up to 50 students every year, and up to 30 girls in its dormitory.

Queen Zein al Sharaf Institute for Development (ZENID)

Loom Training Workshop

The workshop is meant to enable women to acquire income-generating skills which shall improve the status of women in the household. They are trained in producing carpets using wool namely, cleaning and washing wool, spinning, and weaving. The project was established in collaboration with the Industrial Development Bank. The project has secured full time paid work for three women.