UntitledPolitical Overview
Jordan, a key player in the Arab-Israeli peace process and a model for regional economic stability, is home to a large Palestinian majority. As a result, Jordan's ability to satisfy the political aspirations of all its citizens has a strong influence on the stability of any future Palestinian state. Proximity to Iraq and Syria also creates pressure on Jordan, as it strives to balance western ties with regional ones.
In Jordan, political parties are not well developed or integrated into the political culture of the country, and they continue to face challenges to their ability to adequately reach out to citizens and present policy programs that respond to citizens' needs. They are dominated by individualistic agendas and operate under a restrictive political party law and outdated bylaws. More importantly, parliamentary blocs lack the support and resources necessary to maintain cohesion and stability. Women in Jordan are also still struggling to overcome institutional and social barriers to their political participation and are especially affected by the parliamentary and party challenges mentioned above.
Program Overview
Jordanian women party activists receive direct assistance from NDI trainer Scott Bates at a training workshop in February 2006.
Women in the Fuheis community in Jordan aspire for victory after an NDI workshop on 'Fundamentals of Campaign Management' in March 2006.
With support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), NDI's current programs in Jordan seek to encourage a more representative multiparty system, expand women's political participation, and promote focus group research. NDI is working to strengthen the capacity of political parties, parliamentary blocs, national coalitions and women candidates and activists, preparing these groups to participate effectively in the upcoming parliamentary elections, currently expected to take place in late 2007. The Institute also recently launched Women Helping Women (WHW): The Jordanian Women's Election Network, which is the first initiative of its kind that is dedicated to supporting women's candidacy for elected office. Members of the network are individuals who are committed to recruiting and funding viable women candidates; helping them build and run effective campaigns; training the next generation of political activists; and mobilizing voters to help elect women candidates across Jordan.
With the overall goal of supporting Jordanian women's candidacy to parliament, NDI is also working to increase the visibility of women parliamentarians and political candidates in Jordan by researching, documenting and publicizing these women's experiences through videography, photography and other new media techniques. NDI is in the process of producing two documentary videos, one focusing on the current thirteen women in parliament and the other profiling a diverse group of ten women candidates for the 2007 parliamentary elections.
Finally, in 2006, NDI assisted Al Mashreq Al Jadid for Research, a local NGO, to establish an independent focus groups research facility that conducts qualitative public opinion research and assists Jordanian policy-makers to better understand and value the viewpoints of citizens on a wide variety of social and political issues. Focus group research is an integral part of the Institute's programming in Jordan and is used to assist local partners in developing relevant platforms and messages, particularly in preparation for the upcoming elections.
Jordanian MPs exchange views with NDI experts on election reform at a parliamentary policy panel in November 2006.
Recent Activities
Recent program activities to support political parties, parliamentary blocs, and women's political participation include the following workshops and recent events:
On November 6-7, NDI held three policy panels for the Jordanian parliament about election systems. The panels were the first events of ongoing efforts to assist parliamentarians in the development of reform legislation. The format of the sessions consisted of brief presentations to members of the Lower House from NDI experts followed by a moderated discussion on the topic.
On November 9, NDI conducted a consultative workshop for sixteen leaders and mid-level activists of the National Constitutional Party (NCP) on "Identity and Communications Development.
From November 18-25, the Institute conducted a country-wide assessment of potential women parliamentary candidates and visited the cities of Irbid in the North, Amman and Zarqa in the Center as well as the village of Mleh in the Madaba Governorate.
On November 27, NDI conducted a fundraising training workshop for 27 women activists, followed by a separate but similar training on November 28 for nine high-level Jordanian women from all segments of society. The workshops focused on the basics of political fundraising, including the "how, who, and when" to ask for money. Participants also learned how to design an effective fundraising plan, as well as FAQs and best approaches to fundraising.
NDI officially launched the Women Helping Women (WHW) network on November 29 at a kick-off luncheon event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman for over 80 Jordanian women Senators, Members of Parliament, political leaders, activists and businesswomen. Representatives of foreign embassies and international organizations were also in attendance.
Background
NDI began program work in Jordan in 1993, when it partnered with the New Jordan Research Center to conduct seminars on Electoral Systems in 1994 and on regional election monitors in 1995. In 1996, NDI returned to conduct a program in conjunction with the Jordanian Women's Union, the Jordanian National Forum for Women, and the National Federation of Jordanian Women, training women candidates for the 1997 parliamentary elections. NDI also brought a group of Jordanian women to observe the 1996 US elections.
NDI ceased operations in Jordan after the 1997 election, which was marked by widespread irregularities and legal manipulation and was a clear step backward in Jordan's political development. NDI discontinued programming because it found little dynamism within Jordanian civil society, and because there were few active non-royal NGOs with which NDI could partner.
When parliamentary elections were announced for June 2003, NDI reactivated its work in Jordan, supporting women candidates through training and providing resource materials and assistance to journalists covering the elections. NDI implemented an intensive program in the few months preceding the polls and succeeded in mobilizing women's organizations and media groups to engage actively in the elections.
With support from the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), NDI established a field office in Amman in November 2004 and conducted a parliamentary and political party assistance program from 2004-2006. Activities included a study mission for ten Jordanian MPs to Morocco to expose them to the interaction between parliamentary blocs and political parties, a multiparty training workshop on party structure and management for mid-level activists from three Jordanian political parties and consultations on parliamentary procedure for parliamentary blocs and the Legal Committee of the Lower House of Parliament.
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