Ammon News - Sunday marks the birthday of Princess Basma Bint Talal, a long-standing advocate for women’s rights, youth empowerment, child welfare, as well as a pioneer for sustainable human development in Jordan and the Arab region.

Princess Basma is the founder and Chairperson of the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), a non-profit organisation established in 1977.

Since its inception 48 years ago, JOHUD has developed a unique, community-driven model, operating through a network of 52 locally managed Community Development Centres across Jordan. Her enduring vision of inclusive community governance continues to define JOHUD’s decentralised and participatory approach.

In recognition of her decades-long contributions to national development, humanitarian efforts, and public service, His Majesty King Abdullah II recently awarded Princess Basma the Silver Jubilee Medal.

Among the many national initiatives she has led are the Goodwill Campaign - established in 1991-which provides essential support to thousands of families in need each year, and the Queen Alia Competition for Social Responsibility, a long-standing effort to foster civic awareness among Jordanian school children and local communities.

Princess Basma is Chairperson of Mabarrat Um Al Hussein, a home for underprivileged and orphaned boys. Established in 1958, by Her Late Majesty Queen Zein Al Sharaf, it continues to provide generations of boys with a chance for a better life, with the help and support Jordanian society and the international and diplomatic community.

Since its inception in 1992, Princess Basma has chaired the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), where she has played a key role in advancing women’s rights and influencing legislative and policy reforms.

A major milestone was reached this April, with the passing of a new law that formalises the JNCW’s mandate in shaping national strategies for the political, economic, and social empowerment of women. Princess Basma hailed the move as a significant step for both the institutional strength of the Commission and the broader advancement of Jordanian women.

The National Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition (NAJMAH), founded in 2004 by Princess Basma and hosted by JOHUD, supports Jordan’s fight against hunger through national and international partnerships. Next month, under the patronage of Princess Basma, NAJMAH will co-host the 5th Global Foresight4Food Workshop in Jordan, promoting food system transformation through foresight and scenario analysis.

On the international level, Princess Basma contributes as a member of the Advisory Board for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, advocating for environmental sustainability and harnessing JOHUD’s community networks for environmental activism. She also serves as Honorary Human Development Ambassador for the UNDP, and as a Goodwill Ambassador for both UN Women and the UNFPA. She holds a PhD in Development Studies from Oxford University.

Princess Basma is married to Walid Kurdi and is the mother of four children Farah, Ghazi, Saad, and Zein Al Sharaf and the grandmother of ten: Fatima Al Zahra, Zein Al Sharaf, Abdulaziz, Aysha, Iman, Basma, Haya, Raya, Alia, and Jad. Petra