Amman, April 24 (Petra) – Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani Mustafa on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment to discuss the adoption of the Gender Equality Seal for Women’s Empowerment in the public and private sectors.

The meeting was attended by members of the Ministerial Committee, representatives from the King Abdullah II Center for Excellence, and the President of the Civil Service and Administration Commission.

Bani Mustafa underlined that the Gender Equality Seal is a national, voluntary initiative developed in accordance with international standards of excellence and tailored to the national context.

The program is the result of joint efforts by the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment, the Jordanian National Commission for Women, and the King Abdullah II Center for Excellence, and was formulated in collaboration with relevant governmental and non-governmental entities.

The initiative stems from the Women’s Empowerment Strategy within the Economic Modernization Vision and seeks to encourage institutions in both sectors to provide enabling and inclusive work environments for women by enhancing their employment opportunities and retention.

She noted that the Women’s Empowerment Strategy was launched at the end of 2022, with the Gender Equality Seal identified as a priority initiative. A technical team, headed by the Jordanian National Commission for Women, was formed and divided into two specialised subcommittees to develop criteria for awarding the Seal to institutions in both the public and private sectors.

The teams were tasked with developing a clear framework for the Seal, including eligibility criteria aligned with international best practices and existing national award programs. They are also responsible for coordinating among stakeholders and donors, compiling a database of institutions committed to gender equality, and identifying incentive mechanisms to promote participation.

Bani Mustafa stated that organisations will be evaluated based on the extent to which they implement gender equality measures, address workplace gaps, and demonstrate commitment to inclusive practices. Institutions that obtain the Seal will be formally recognised by the King Abdullah II Center for Excellence, receiving a certificate of appreciation.

She added that recipients will benefit from additional incentives, including 20 bonus points in the human resources criterion under the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence in Government Performance and Transparency, and 10 points awarded to the Secretary-General or Director-General of the institution under the Distinguished Secretary-General or Director-General Award.

She concluded by affirming that the Seal is grounded in principles of justice, equal opportunity, inclusive institutional culture, gender-balanced leadership, and equitable representation in decision-making positions all of which are integral to achieving sustainable development.

//Petra// AJ

24/04/2025 19:43:32