JORDAN

Jordan’s first NAP covers the period 2018-2021.  There does not appear to be an update in progress.

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Objectives of Jordan’s 2018-2021 NAP:

(1) Achieve gender-responsiveness and meaningful participation of women in the security sector and in peace operations;

(2) Achieve the meaningful participation of women in preventing radicalization and violent extremism, as well as in national and regional peace building;

(3) Ensure the availability of gender-sensitive humanitarian services (including psychological, social, legal and medical services) that are safely accessible by Jordanians and refugees (including those women and girls most vulnerable to violence and in need of protection, in host communities and refugee camps in Jordan), in full alignment with the Jordan Response Plan for the Syria Crisis;

(4) Foster a community culture that recognizes the gender needs, the importance of gender equality and the role of women (including young women) in peace and security.

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Commentary:

Despite some recent attempts to improve women’s rights in Jordan - and its impressive record for educational gender parity at more than 99% - the country still ranks at just 126th of 146 states on the Global Gender Gap Index 2023 https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2023.pdf . Jordan is also demographically unusual in that it is one of the few countries in the world where male life expectancy is longer than women’s.

Jordan’s NAP is more focused than other nations’ plans on the impacts of radicalisation and terrorism and their intersections with gender. The need to better understand women’s role in the development and manifestation of violent extremism is emphasised in the NAP, as well as the disproportionate effect such ideological sexualised violence has on the lives of women and girls in the Middle East. Alongside this, the NAP calls for improved availability of gender-specific psychological, social, legal, and medical services for Jordanians and refugees (particularly those fleeing conflict in Syria) who are in desperate need and vulnerable to trafficking and abuse.

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Civil society involvement in development of the NAP:

Civil society organisations have been involved in the development, drafting and evaluation of the Jordanian NAP from the outset. The Jordanian National Commission for Women organised various dialogues and workshops with women’s groups and wider civil society when drafting the national action plan. Jordan’s plan is also unusual in its emphasis on the importance of engaging with youth perspectives within its civil society consultations.

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UN Peacekeeping  statistics:

As of Sept 2023, Jordan contributed 372 UN peacekeeping personnel, of whom 61 were female.

As of Sept 2023 Jordan ranked 33rd as a contributing country to UN peacekeeping missions.

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Women in Peacekeeping:

Jordan prides itself on being a top contributor to  UN peacekeeping missions and the NAP states that “Women’s participation in peacekeeping operations and missions makes conflict-resolution operations more effective and sustainable” (p15).  The first female police officer from Jordan was deployed in 2007 and both female police and military personnel have since been contributed to missions by the Arab state. Jordan aims to deploy 20% female police and 15% female military experts and observers to future missions while increasing women’s representation in the domestic security services and counter-extremism.

A key strategic goal outlined in the NAP is the need to “create a culture or enabling environment to encourage men and women personnel in security sectors to integrate gender perspectives in all tasks, and to promote women’s entry into security and military sectors”. This, it states, will enhance operational effectiveness and have a positive effect on the maintenance of peace.

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References and sources:

Jordan WPS National Action Plan (English translation): Jordan-NAP-2018-2021.pdf (wpsnaps.org)

United Nations Peacekeeping. (Sept 2023). Troop and police contributors‌. Available at: 02-Contributions by Country (Ranking)

Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type (Sept 2023) Available at: 05-Missions Detailed By Country

Global Gender Gap Report 2023: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2023.pdf