Over 100 young women from Amman and Zarqa graduate from professional development trainings to access the labour market
Date:
Amman, Jordan. Held under the esteemed patronage and at the presence of the Minister of Labor, H.E. Mr. Samir Murad, Education for Employment (EFE-Jordan) in partnership with UN Women and with the generous support of the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian Crisis (the"Madad Fund") and the Governments of Japan and France, organized a graduation ceremony for 100 women who benefitted from job training and job placement and career direction, programmes in late 2018.
The Minister of Labor, Mr. Samir Murad, affirmed: "Women are essential partners in the advancement of societies and development in all its political, economic, social and cultural dimensions, which eventually leads to the improvement in standards of living and development. This prompt us to emphasize the importance of synergizing concerted efforts to promote women's empowerment in all aspects. Especially since there is a high political will and a commitment to gender equality at all levels to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development."
Target young unemployed Jordanian and Syrian refugee women residing in the Governorates of Amman and Zarqa, the programme seeks to support women’s economic empowerment through the provision of technical trainings and career direction services which match the labour market needs at the local level. As a result, 44 women who graduated from the programme have already accessed job opportunities in the field of administration and services.
"The EU believes that human capital is the most important resource for the inclusive and sustainable development of Jordan. This project provides women, both Syrians and Jordanians, with opportunities to enter the labour market to boost their contribution to the Jordanian economy", affirmed H.E. Mr. Andrea Matteo Fontana, Ambassador of the European Union to Jordan. “The EU is very committed to offering both Syrians and Jordanian host communities’ opportunities to improve their professional skills through practical vocational courses" he added.
H.E. Ambassador Hidenao Yanagi, Ambassador of Japan to Jordan has affirmed: “The high rate of unemployed women in Jordan as a challenge to be tackled with, and Japan has supported women empowerment projects in order to enable both Jordanian and Syrian women to generate income and to become self-supporting.” H.E. Yanagi also added: “As for this training that has been completed today, I sincerely hope that the women who have graduated from this training will be active members in their societies and be able to earn their own living and get the chance to improve their lives, which could lead to sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Jordan.”
This initiative complements capacity building opportunities and vocational training programmes for unemployed and vulnerable women conducted by JEFE and UN Women in the Governorates of Tafeleh, Karak, and Maan. The aim is to provide comprehensive training services to assist women who are willing to enter into the labour market with professional development and career counselling. Overall, the programme will reach 1,000 women in Jordan during the course of 18 months and will facilitate their job placement and inclusion in the national labor force.
“Underpinning efforts like today’s programme is the crucial work being done through national gender mechanisms, including the Jordan National Commission for Women which is currently leading the development of the next National Women’s Strategy, and the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment which recently endorsed the development of Jordan’s first government gender mainstreaming policy. These are efforts UN Women will continue to support” - affirmed Mr. Ziad Sheikh, UN Women Jordan Representative.
The programme “Economic Empowerment Program for Women in Jordan” also includes a dedicated component to mentor women who would like to establish a micro entrepreneurship activity in order for them to access sustainable livelihood opportunities, improve their standard of living, and generate a positive effect in terms of economic growth and sustainability for their families and communities.
Mrs. Ghadeer Khuffash, the CEO of Education For Employment – Jordan, affirmed “ EFE-Jordan is proud to partner with UN Women to achieve tangible results for the development of young women in various governorates of the Kingdom. The programme contributes to the empowerment of Jordanian women, providing them with the opportunity to enhance their skills, join the labour market, and secure a sustainable income”.
For all media inquiries, please contact:
Duaá Al Thaher at EFE-Jordan
Communication specialist
Tel: + 962 799 61 95 71
dalthaher@efejordan.org
Susan Al Hilo at UN Women
SDGs and Communication Specialist
Tel: +962 790919680
About Education For Employment (EFE-Jordan
Education for Employment – Jordan (EFE- Jordan ) is a locally registered non-profit organization that leads a national initiative to create job opportunities for unemployed Jordanian youth. EFE- Jordan’s mission is to create economic opportunity for unemployed youth in Jordan by providing targeted, market-driven vocational, technical and job readiness training programs that meet the needs of potential employers.
About UN Women
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide.
The EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian Crisis (the "Madad Fund")
its establishment in 2014, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian crisis, the “Madad Fund", has mobilized almost €1.5 billion, including contributions from 22 EU Member States and Turkey, to support more than 2 million Syrian refugees and local communities in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, the Western Balkans, and Armenia. The "Madad Fund" helps both Syrian refugees and local communities get better access to education, job opportunities, healthcare, water and protection services. The "Madad Fund" also contributes to a stronger and cohesive society, with a particular focus on children, youth and women.