At JOHUD, we believe that the needs of every Jordanian man, woman, and child, regardless of their social or economic circumstances, must be addressed. However, we realise that the voices of our most marginalised citizens go unheard far too often. As such, we believe that by empowering mechanisms of local governance, we can ensure that all segments of Jordan’s population are given a platform upon which they can voice their legitimate concerns.

No community can reach its full potential without utilising the critical contributions that women can make in all aspects of society. While there is increasing awareness in Jordan of the importance of gender equality, we recognise that Jordanian society often imposes limitations on women, particularly those from rural and traditional communities. As such, our organisation has spent decades designing and implementing initiatives that strengthen the role of women throughout Jordan.

These efforts have included the establishment of Women’s Committees in each of JOHUD’s 51 Community Development Centres (CDCs). These committees are composed entirely of local women, who are tasked with playing a leadership role in the design and implementation of local developmental initiatives. Our CDCs facilitate this process by providing a comfortable and supportive environment where awareness is raised on the importance of women’s empowerment and where local women are encouraged to freely discuss issues that impact their place within the community.

Today, these committees form a national network of more than 809 active members and 1551 volunteers. Additionally, these committees have formed partnerships with approximately 200 local organisations, many of whom collaborate to advance women’s empowerment initiatives throughout Jordan.

JOHUD also encourages women’s committee members to embrace leadership roles in public life, through helping community residents articulate their needs to governmental organisations and local authorities. This process has led to the formation of strong alliances with female leaders who are keen to participate in local democratic processes and who interact with the electorate within their communities.

Since the beginning of this initiative, many proactive women have been elected to municipal council positions after first becoming socially and politically active whilst participating in the women’s committees hosted by our CDCs. A number of these women have even been appointed as mayors, while others still have become qualified to run in Parliamentary elections.

To widen the scope of its efforts, JOHUD also launched the Women’s Empowerment Programme. This initiative has changed the lives of thousands of Jordanian women by implementing a wide range of projects that focus on overcoming obstacles related to women’s health, legal status, and participation in local decision-making.

While there is still progress to be made, women’s empowerment remains a national priority that is essential for unlocking the prosperity our nation is capable of achieving.

At JOHUD, we see Jordan’s burgeoning youth population as a national asset.

A dynamic and vigorous economy hinges on a vibrant workforce made up of young men and women who are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to find gainful employment and lead fulfilling lives. As such, JOHUD promotes youth participation and leadership in all of the activities that run through its Community Development Centres (CDC).

These opportunities are created through the use of 52 youth committees and 2600 active members operating in governorates throughout Jordan. Youth committee members are encouraged to become active and productive citizens and community leaders by implementing projects that address local developmental priorities relevant to family, school, and university-life.

Our committees also offer regularly scheduled programming to young men and women from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. These programmes provide the youth with the opportunity to enhance their professionally competitive skill-sets and knowledge through career development guidance, technological training, basic science instruction, and debate coaching. These courses are designed to encourage young people to explore the variety of means by which they can reach their full potential, attain gainful employment, and serve their communities.

In addition to the Youth Committees, JOHUD’s Princess Basma Youth Resource Centre (PBYRC), located in the Al-Hashemi Al-Shamali district, provides JOHUD staff with strategic guidance when working with young people. The growth of the PBYRC has also lead to an astonishingly wide variety of new services and projects for young people in Jordan: JOHUD now provides basic skills training for disadvantaged young people, helps widen science and ecological education opportunities for young children, and has provided unique regional conferences to involve the youth in the decision-making process. The PBYRC has also led efforts to create a new radio station by and for young people, helping to strengthen and spread our key messages throughout the country.

Initiatives like these will continue to create thousands of new leaders and professionally trained people throughout Jordan, helping to improve the skill-base and capability of the nation now and in the future.