ACHRS Women’s Day Panel Discussion: The Struggle For Gender Equality At Work
By ACHRS
On March 8th, the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies organized a Q&A panel discussion for International Women’s Day. We gathered to celebrate women, and discuss their underrepresentation and other struggles in the Jordanian workforce.
We had the honor to welcome Amani Oweis, Professor Abeer Al-Bawad, Maysoon Zoubi and Bady Baqain as guest speakers. They shared valuable insights on the topic highlighting their own personal experiences.
Special attention went to the underrepresentation of women in Jordan’s workforce – stagnating at around 14% (International Labour Organisation, 2021) – as the job market in Jordan is notoriously unaccommodating for women.
Women work harder than men for the same job and have to constantly prove their worth. Despite being equally qualified, men get promoted more easily and usually hold higher positions, Ms Zoubi noted. Women are scrutinized for the slightest mistake, especially in leadership positions.
Our panelists highlighted the cultural aspect of the issue as Jordanian society still does not openly accept women in the workforce. Prof. Al-Bawad highlighted the fact that even though there exists some parity and women are often highly educated, men still have a higher overall employment rate. Even though women tend to have higher grades, only men are sent to study abroad.
The speakers advised the younger generation to set a positive example for their peers and to keep fighting and demanding change. They highlighted the need to work on one’s self in order to make a change in society, e.g., by showing peers that women belong in the workforce.
The discussion also centered around the importance of the male allyship at work and at home. As change starts on a small scale, the role of men as fathers, brothers, partners, or colleagues in the empowerment of women is a key tool of female empowerment. By treating women with equality and allowing them to have ambitions, men can and should take part in the fight for gender equality.
We would like to thank our guest speakers for their engagement and advice in the fight for gender equality! A special word of appreciation also goes to our host Sumaya Daghestani who monitored and guided the discussion with her unmatched enthusiasm.
