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Ammon News - Interior Minister Mazen Faraya on Monday launched a workshop, focusing on the integration of gender gap indicators into regional development planning.

The initiative, a collaboration between Jordan's Interior Ministry, the European Union mission, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Jordan, showcased outcomes and recommendations stemming from their joint efforts.

The event saw the participation of Wafaa Bani Mustafa, Minister of Social Development and Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment; Musa Maaita, Chairman of the Independent Election Commission; Majdi Shriqi, Director-General of the General Budget Department; and UNDP's Resident Representative in Jordan, Randa Abu Al-Hassan.

Furthermore, key figures from the Ministry of Interior, Balqa and Madaba governorates, and various ministries were also present.

This initiative, championed by the Decentralization, Accountability, and Integrity Program, aims to measure and analyze the gender disparity at the regional level.

The program, supported by UNDP Jordan and funded by the European Union, evaluates gender gaps using criteria established by the Global Gender Gap Index and the World Economic Forum 2006.

Their assessment focuses on four primary domains: participation, economic opportunities, educational achievements, health, and political empowerment.

Minister Faraya emphasized the ministry's commitment to assessing the gender gap indicators within the developmental frameworks of six governorates - Irbid, Ajloun, Balqa, Madaba, Tafilah, and Aqaba.

This preliminary phase will be followed by a broader assessment in the remaining six regions, eventually culminating in municipal-level evaluations.

Detailing their strategic approach, Faraya noted that the ministry has prioritized gender integration into upcoming provincial council budgets.

He stressed the importance of embedding gender considerations into the annual economic and social reality report, aiming to streamline project prioritization within regional plans and annual budgets, thus narrowing the gender gap.

Echoing the significance of this initiative, Randa Abu Al-Hassan of UNDP highlighted the program's emphasis on addressing challenges women face while spotlighting opportunities to incorporate gender disparities into development strategies.

She reiterated the focus on crucial areas such as participation, economic opportunities, and political empowerment, which are essential for fostering individual and community prosperity.

Shedding light on the administrative measures, Majdi Shriqi, Director of the General Budget Department, shared that a dedicated team has been set up to ensure the comprehensive implementation of gender-centric policies, programs, and plans.

This workshop is the first in a series scheduled from 8th to 10th August, which will delve deeper into evaluations targeting the regions of Balqa, Madaba, Irbid, Ajloun, Tafilah, and Aqaba.