Solidarity Is Global Institute-JO "SIGI" held a dialogue seminar titled "Women’s Participation in Political Life and the Challenges Facing Female Parliamentarians Under the Dome of Parliament" on May 5, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The seminar was held as part of the "Safe Pathways" project, funded by the African Women’s Development Fund.

During the seminar, “SIGI” affirmed that the ongoing political modernization process in Jordan represents a real opportunity to enhance women's participation in political life, especially in decision-making positions. The association highlighted that the results of the 20th parliamentary elections marked a significant step in this direction, with 27 women winning seats—18 through the quota system and 9 through the general list—reflecting positive progress in women's representation in elected councils and opening doors for greater political engagement among Jordanian women.

The seminar was attended by several current and former female members of Parliament, representatives of civil society organizations, women's rights leaders, youth, and community figures. Participants emphasized that the presence of women in Parliament is a key guarantee for effective participation in shaping policies and legislation that impact various aspects of life, especially those concerning women's issues and family rights.

It was also emphasized that women's presence in Parliament is not merely a representational gain, but a national responsibility that requires female MPs to adhere to a legislative path that promotes justice, equality, and equal opportunity between genders. Their role also serves as a positive model for female leadership capable of creating tangible impact in the political, legislative, and developmental arenas.

During the session, the challenges facing female parliamentarians in their political journey were discussed. H.E. Dr. Amal Al-Rafou’, former MP of the 16th Parliament, pointed out that social norms remain one of the key barriers preventing women from reaching decision-making positions, as men are still often given preference. However, she noted that the current law has provided broader opportunities for women to access elected councils through both local and general lists.

Al-Rafou’ emphasized that raising awareness about democratic and rights-based approaches helps to broaden the scope of women's political participation and paves the way for more just and inclusive representation in decision-making positions.

The seminar also addressed key economic challenges faced by women seeking to run for parliamentary elections, including the high cost of election campaigns and the general lack of financial support provided to women by their families, compared to male candidates.

H.E. Najah Al-Azza and H.E. Asma’a Al-Rawahneh shared that their parliamentary experiences were marked by several difficulties, particularly regarding voting on laws related to women's rights. These laws often spark heated debates in Parliament that may hinder or delay their passage, despite having prior consensus before being presented for voting. They also highlighted the weakness of unified parliamentary support for women’s issues, even among female MPs themselves. This underscores the need for more active intervention by civil society organizations to support these issues, including by engaging men in advocacy efforts, recognizing that women’s and family issues are national and societal matters. This inclusive approach can help build a strong public base to achieve the desired legislative changes.

The seminar concluded with several key recommendations, including:

• The importance of involving new and existing MPs, especially female parliamentarians, in specialized training programs to enhance their legislative and oversight capacities. This includes training in legislative research, advocacy, drafting parliamentary memos, the effective and safe use of social media platforms, and impactful media communication.

• Strengthening the role of civil society organizations in supporting female MPs through targeted advocacy campaigns focused on legal texts under parliamentary discussion that affect women's rights.

• Increasing the representation of women on parliamentary committees, particularly the Legal Committee, to ensure support for their positions on rights-related matters, especially women’s rights. Additionally, efforts should be made to form an active women’s parliamentary bloc that reflects unity and strengthens influence on issues related to rights, development, social protection, and legal reforms.

“SIGI” previously held a series of meetings in the governorates of Irbid, Amman, and Zarqa, in cooperation with decision-makers, civil society organizations, and local partner associations. These meetings targeted women working in sectors such as agriculture, industry, textiles, education, health, local administration, domestic work, as well as women with disabilities and women living with cancer.