The Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs, Haditha Al-Kharisha, in the presence of the President of Yarmouk University, Dr. Islam Massad, sponsored the activities of the dialogue session entitled "The Reality and Challenges of Political Participation in Jordanian Society: Women and Youth as a Model," which was organized by the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies at the university in collaboration with the Association A Home for Political Participation.
According to Independent Election Commission statistics, Al-Khraisha believed that the silent majority had started to participate in the process and party life, noting that the number of party members was unprecedented, with more than 64,000 Jordanians affiliated with Jordanian parties.
He also said that there is no entity in the state accountable for parties, emphasizing that they are autonomous institutions under the constitution and that no institution or body may impose any program on any political party.
Al-Kharisha reassured Yarmouk University students that there is no reason to be concerned about partisan work, while also emphasizing that the ministry's programs are not concentrated in the capital but rather in the governorates and that we will go wherever we are invited.
According to al-Khraisha, the election legislation required Jordanians to vote on party-specific grounds, implying that political and partisan activity in Jordan is not new and that democratic life has been ingrained in the country from its inception.
It is one of the most significant advances in the political modernization system, particularly in terms of increasing young and women's involvement in party and political activities.
According to Massad, the significance of this conversation session stems from its discussion of a number of topics to which Yarmouk paid close attention, based on its goal and vision of promoting political engagement in the university and Jordanian society, particularly those affecting youth and women.
He added that "Yarmouk" views these two segments of our society as a fundamental pillar in the process of political modernization and national development led by His Majesty the King and His Trustworthy Crown Prince, because of their belief in the ability of these segments to bring about positive change in Jordanian society, and thus "Yarmouk" has established its vision in these issues, to be a lasting legacy, based on a set of national foundations that advanced
Massad affirmed Yarmouk's ongoing efforts to study the success factors, determinants, and challenges confronting youth, women, and communities and began working with a large group of teaching and administrative staff members, as well as students, to develop its intellectual project, which includes collaboration with many national institutions such as the Independent Election Commission, the National Center for Human Rights, and the Ministry of Social Affairs. Local society's political, legislative, and institutional components.
He continued: We at Yarmouk University are proud of the distinguished level of our students from all colleges and academic departments, and my feeling of positive energy deepens when I am among my students, who have known how to identify their strengths, enhance their motivations, and be able to develop their ideas, stressing that "Yarmouk" is in compliance with the directives of the Jordanian state, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, and is putting all of its capabilities and the advancement of its career, which includes the elite group of students who are most skilled and capable of representing their peers in the Union Council.
Massad emphasized that political maturity is required of us as universities in order to facilitate the tasks of organizing party activities within universities and raising students' awareness of the importance of political participation and its role in societal development through the regulations and instructions in place in universities, so that these activities do not interfere with the primary goal of universities, which is the educational and research process.
In terms of women, Massad revealed that the university issued new instructions to the Student Union, in line with best student electoral practices, while adding some privacy through some amendments represented by a "quota" system for female students, to ensure fair representation of female students in the council, in accordance with their percentage of students, and to meet the need for their presence in the council to represent issues related to female students specifically.
Dr. Abeer Al-Dababneh, a member of the Independent Election Commission's Board of Commissioners, confirmed that the human resource is the most important resource in Jordan and that women who have proven their competence and excellence in the academic and practical aspects occupy an advanced position and are an essential part of the components of this resource; however, there is a noticeable absence of them in contributing to pushing the wheel of production.
Al-Dababneh emphasized the importance of universities in providing venues and platforms for male and female students to express their opinions, as well as those who engage in political activities. She also emphasized the significance of colleges in developing the notion of a man and a woman in public affairs, stating that this concept is neither legitimate nor complete without an integrated legislative framework. In this context, the Jordanian Constitution came to emphasize the state's role in empowering youth and women, as well as the importance of fairness to them based on the principles of justice and equal opportunities, and the Election Law for the House of Representatives No. 4 of 2022 came to reflect this constitutional value by ensuring genuine participation of women and youth in elections and parties. The system for organizing party activities in higher education institutions came to emphasize this value, as well as the importance of universities in enhancing students' ability to practice party activities in a way that contributes to them fully exercising their active citizenship.
Dr. Reem Abu Dalbouh, the facilitator of the National Center for Human Rights, stated that Jordanian youth and women's political participation, whether through candidacy, election, or founding and joining parties, is a necessary criterion for practicing political work and has an essential role in the process of political modernization, noting that the approval of the parties and election laws with the constitutional amendments related to parliamentary work represents.
Abu Dalbouh praised the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies at Yarmouk University for conducting legislative studies to improve women's political participation and making recommendations on legislation, policies, and practices, as well as holding awareness, cultural, and training programs in this regard.
Dr. Batoul Al-Muhaisen, Director of the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies, stated that the theme of this dialogue symposium is a major topic of national development that the center seeks to empower without interruption, emphasizing the center's desire to embody its vision of supporting and empowering Jordanian women in various fields through collaborative efforts and units. University colleges and centers collaborate and network with civil society entities with the goal of sharing experiences and forming partnerships to improve women and youth's roles in social, economic, and political life.
Al-Muhaisen emphasized the center's ongoing efforts to empower a conscious generation to actively participate in political and civil life, encourage social patterns that support women's roles in the family and society, institutionalize the concepts of gender equality and equal opportunities at the level of public and private sector institutions, develop policy papers in common areas of work, and prepare scientific studies and sound research on Jordanian women.
Lawyer Areej Naseer, Director of the Watan Association for Political Participation, confirmed that Jordan has the means to increase the political participation of women and youth, based on royal directives to modernize the political system and amendments to the Constitution, Election Law, and Political Parties Law that promote this participation.
She emphasized that Jordanian youth are on the verge of new challenges and promising opportunities, and that encouraging youth participation in the electoral process is not only a democratic right but also a responsibility to our country and future generations.
Zakir Al-Zaghoul, a member of the Watan Association, confirmed that the Royal Commission to Modernize the Political System presented a package of reforms through the laws governing the political process. He explained that these laws and amendments reduced the age for candidacy in Jordan from 30 to 25 years and mandated that at least 20% of party members be young, requiring a young man to be among the first.
He emphasized that the system for conducting political activities in higher education institutions granted students the ability to engage in partisan activities on their campuses without restriction. It also gives students the freedom to participate in political activities on campus through clubs, unions, or groups within such institutions, including those related to party and election awareness.
Dr. Tariq Al-Nasser, Deputy Director of the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies, moderated the session, which ended with a long discourse and discussion about the issue and the thoughts and perspectives presented.
