Minister Stresses Women’s Financial Access in Entrepreneurship Dialogue

Minister of Labor, Nadia Rawabdeh, highlighted the financing challenges for women entrepreneurs in Jordan during a public-private dialogue on financial accessibility organized by the Jordan Business and Professional Women Forum. Rawabdeh emphasized the need for a conducive environment supporting women-owned businesses, stressing the importance of financial literacy and streamlined access to funding to bolster women's economic empowerment and project development. She advocated for a centralized database to streamline transactions with financial institutions, coupled with tailored training for women entrepreneurs to manage and scale their ventures effectively. Established in 2006, the Ministry of Labor's Directorate of Women's Labor and Gender focuses on women's economic empowerment through policy implementation, awareness campaigns, and support programs. These efforts include financing initiatives under the Women's Empowerment Program to foster economic independence and societal engagement, she added. Reem Baghdadi, President of the Jordan Business and Professional Women's Forum, underscored collaborative efforts to overcome challenges facing women entrepreneurs, citing the "Insaf" coalition's policy initiatives and cooperation agreements aimed at fostering a fair and supportive business environment. The coalition, comprising various stakeholders, advocates for policy reforms to facilitate women's economic participation, with a focus on promoting equitable access to finance and advancing women-led businesses. Maha Ali, Secretary General of the National Committee for Women, emphasized the importance of standardized definitions for women business owners to enhance data accessibility and inform policy decisions. She highlighted ongoing efforts to establish a women's observatory to measure economic participation and social protection indicators. Nisreen Barakat, Executive Director of the Jordanian Strategy Forum, stressed the significance of women's economic inclusion in realizing the country's economic moderni zation vision, calling for comprehensive gender-based data collection to address youth unemployment and enhance women's participation in various economic sectors. Maher Mahrouq, Director General of the Association of Banks, echoed the need for clear criteria in funding allocation to measure gender-based data accurately and facilitate informed decision-making. Karim Shaaban, Director of the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), outlined the organization's role in promoting economic inclusivity and democratic governance worldwide. He emphasized collaboration with diverse stakeholders to advocate for inclusive economic policies and good governance practices. Source: Jordan News Agency