The Hashemite University hosted a dialogue session entitled “Empowering Women and Girls,” organized by the European Union Delegation to Jordan with the participation of the Irish Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ms. Marianne Bolger, and Deputy Ambassador at the EU Delegation to Jordan, Angela Martini. The event, which was organized in the framework of the EU’s Jeel Connect network activities in cooperation with the Center for Women’s Studies at the Hashemite University, was part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence.

    The President of the Hashemite University, Professor Dr. Khaled Al-Hayari, met with the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation and the Irish Ambassador, in the presence of the Vice President of the University, Professor Dr. Wasfi Al-Rawabdeh, and the Director of the Women’s Studies Center, Professor Dr. Sahar Idwan, and discussed ways to enhance academic and research cooperation relations with Irish universities. Dr. Al-Hiyari stressed the university’s keenness to empower women and girls, especially female university students, who constitute 60% of the university’s total number of 31,000 students. He pointed out that the university has launched a number of initiatives and activities on many issues that concern women and girls.

   During the dialogue session, in which a number of female and male university students, EU representatives, members of the EU Jeel Connect Network, and the Director of the Center for Women’s Studies participated, the Irish Ambassador stated that empowering girls contributes to the advancement of women and enhancing their economic activity, and protects them from all forms of gender-based violence. The development and spread of technology, and resulting increase in digital violence, can have a negative impact on women’s participation in digital platforms.

For her part, Ms Martini stressed “gender-based violence is a universal issue that transcends borders, affecting communities worldwide. In Jordan, the EU Delegation is firmly committed to eradicating all forms of violence against women and girls, notably by supporting a variety projects and activities, and working with local partners”. She affirmed “There is never a justification for violence and there is no shame in denouncing violence and seeking assistance”

 

In Jordan, the EU Delegation and its Member States are firmly committed to eradicating it, including by supporting a variety projects and activities, and working with local partners.

The session stressed how women’s empowerment is essential in building prosperous and inclusive societies, presented successful experiences in Jordan and Ireland, provided examples of successful initiatives and projects in this field, and emphasized the role of academic institutions and civil society organizations in increasing the participation of women in all aspects of society. The session concluded with an open discussion, where the importance of the participation of women and girls in various social and economic fields was emphasized, in order to achieve sustainable development.