Solidarity Is Global Institute-JO (SIGI) concluded the graduation ceremony of women participants in vocational training courses conducted under the project “Policies to Combat Violence in the Workplace – Safe Pathways”, supported by the African Women’s Development Fund, with the presence of distinguished partners, beneficiaries, and representatives of supporting institutions.

In her speech, SIGI’s Executive Director and Advisor, Mrs. Enaam Asha, stressed that the geographical distribution of beneficiaries from the Safe Pathways project was not limited to the capital, Amman, but also included other governorates and remote areas. This, she explained, reflects the association’s commitment to reaching women across different regions, especially in communities where training and employment opportunities are limited. She emphasized that this approach promotes fairness in access to opportunities and ensures that all women, regardless of where they live, can benefit from empowerment and vocational training programs.

She added that the project’s goal is to ensure that every educational and professional pathway is safe, enabling women to take steps forward in work environments that respect their dignity and protect them from all forms of violence or discrimination. She also linked this to the importance of stability and security in the region, noting that what is happening in Palestine, Gaza, Sudan, and other crisis-affected countries reminds us of the need for human solidarity, and that achieving just and comprehensive peace directly reflects on the lives of women, families, and communities.

Mrs. Asha further highlighted that since its establishment in 1998, SIGI has taken upon itself the mission of supporting women and enhancing their participation in all spheres of life—whether through training, awareness-raising, or advocacy. She stressed that women’s economic and social empowerment is an essential part of achieving sustainable development in Jordan, especially since women constitute around 60% of university graduates, 60.4% of master’s students, and 57.1% of PhD students, yet their economic participation rate does not exceed 14.9% compared to 53.4% for men, leaving a gap of 38.5 percentage points. This makes such training programs a national necessity.

Rana Abu Al-Sundus, Programs and Activities Officer at SIGI and Director of the project, explained that women are the most affected group by societal challenges, particularly those related to economic empowerment and entering the labor market. She pointed out that the barriers women face go beyond lack of opportunities; they also include limited access to resources, inadequate training, and restrictive social norms that hinder their effective participation in economic life. This explains why women’s unemployment rate reached 32.9% in 2024, more than double the general rate, despite the creation of around 30,000 job opportunities for women compared to over 65,000 for men.

She confirmed that through the Safe Pathways project, SIGI is working to enhance women’s genuine participation in all aspects of life—not only by providing training, but also by empowering them to make decisions and access leadership positions, thereby improving their quality of life and that of their families and communities.

Mrs. Abu Al-Sundus noted that the project included a variety of practical vocational trainings across Amman, Irbid, and Zarqa governorates, such as mobile phone repair and professional photography courses. These trainings were designed to equip women with hands-on skills that enable them to enter the labor market with confidence and competitiveness, helping them achieve economic independence and opening up new prospects for starting their own businesses or securing available jobs. She added that the training also focused on building self-confidence, strengthening communication skills, and encouraging participants to think entrepreneurially—all aligning with the association’s vision of creating safe and sustainable pathways for women in the workplace, consistent with the Economic Modernization Vision’s goal of raising women’s economic participation to 28% by 2033.

The first session featured a presentation on the vocational training program and its impact on young women’s participation in the labor market. Amal Abu Seif, owner of Amal Abu Seif Engineering Services, presented her experience with the mobile phone repair course implemented by SIGI within Masahat Amineh. She explained that the course was not merely a technical training, but rather a life-changing opportunity for many participants, offering them a comprehensive training that combined theoretical knowledge of device mechanisms with practical hands-on repair skills.

She highlighted that this new skill opened promising economic prospects for participants, whether through self-employment and small businesses or by joining the labor market in this field. She also emphasized that empowering women in technical, non-traditional professions strengthens their presence in male-dominated fields, reinforces the principle of equal opportunities, and helps break stereotypes associated with professional roles.

For his part, Ihab Afif, founder of Fahmawi Photography Agency, spoke about the professional photography course, emphasizing that the training aimed not only to teach photography basics but also to prepare participants to enter the labor market as professional photographers capable of competing and providing high-quality creative services.

He explained that the training focused on mastering camera use, understanding lighting techniques, and learning framing and angles, in addition to photo editing with specialized software. These skills, he added, enable women to provide comprehensive services in fields such as event photography, portraits, and advertising. He affirmed that such skills empower women to start their own businesses or work independently, supporting their economic empowerment and enhancing their role in creative industries, noting that Jordan’s and the region’s labor markets are in need of fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that women can powerfully deliver.

The second and third sessions featured a presentation on visual identity and its impact on building entrepreneurial capacity, alongside the sharing of success stories from “Motahedoon” and “Sawwet” projects, where participants spoke about their experiences in public, economic, and political life.

At the conclusion of the event, several institutions that contributed to supporting women’s participation in the labor market and promoting decent work standards were honored. SIGI reaffirmed its commitment to continue providing women and girls with ongoing support and training to strengthen their economic and social empowerment, ensuring them real opportunities for active participation in the labor market and building a sustainable future for themselves and their families. The association emphasized that 20.8% of Jordanian households are headed by women, the majority of whom are widows (76.3%), making the investment in their empowerment and protection both economically and socially a direct national responsibility.

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