EU and Italy support Women’s Participation in Election and Political Parties through a new partnership between the Independent Election Commission of Jordan and UN Women

[Press release]

Amman, 22 April 2024 – Today, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and UN Women signed a Partnership Agreement to strengthen women’s engagement in elections and partisan life, at the presence of H. E. Ambassador Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, the European Union Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, H. E. Luciano Pezzotti, Ambassador of Italy to Jordan, and the members of the IEC’s Board of Commissioners. Through EU and Italy-funded activities, the partnership will support IEC’s contribution to Jordan’s political modernization vision and enhance women’s opportunities. 

IEC Chair H. E. Musa Maaytah and UN Women’s Representative Nicolas Burniat signed the agreement, which includes actions directed to the empowerment of women and the integration of their needs into the areas of the work of the IEC, including training, advocacy, and planning for electoral process, with the aim of ensuring women’s effective participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections and beyond.

H. E. Mr Maaytah stressed the royal directives to provide a political and legislative environment conducive to the active engagement of youth and women in public life that were interpreted through the political modernization vision leading to constitutional amendments and the endorsement of new elections and political parties’ laws.

Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, the European Union Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, stressed “the European Union’s commitment to support all efforts to ensure the enhanced participation of women and youth in the electoral process. The partnership between the Independent Electoral Commission and UN WOMEN will support women as voters but also as candidates and elected officials at local and national levels. This is part of our broader electoral assistance to Jordan. We have Jordan’s back as it is making its political modernization vision a reality on the ground’

“Gender equality includes women’s full participation in all aspects of the political sphere, which also ensures that institutions are democratic and representative of all groups in society”, emphasized the Italian Ambassador. “Recognizing women's role in the electoral process and public life is of a high priority, as it contributes to advancing the equality of women and men, to ensuring the realization of civil and political rights for all, and therefore to maximizing national prosperity”.

The partnership agreement addresses the issue of monitoring and handing violence against women in elections, to create an environment free of discrimination that seeks to enhance women’s opportunities in political life. It provides opportunities to build women’s capacities to increase their engagement as election officials and coordination platforms to enhance IEC’s cooperation with national and regional stakeholders on planning and implementing inclusive elections. 

Expressing appreciation for this strategic partnership with IEC at this significant stage that witnesses the actual implementation of political reforms, UN Women’s Representative underlined UN Women’s commitment to providing IEC with required technical support to carry out its pivotal role, with the generous support of the EU and AICS.