Conclusion of the “Advocacy” Training for Members of the Rural Women’s Forum – Equal Movement in Ajloun

Ajloun – September 17, 2025
Safarat Al Reef for Training and Sustainable Development, in partnership with the Change Makers Center for Sustainable Development and in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, concluded a specialized three-day training on “Advocacy” in Ajloun Governorate. The training was held as part of the activities of the Rural Women’s Forum – Equal Movement, with the participation of 25 women members of the forum, from September 15 to 17, 2025.

In his opening remarks, Suhaib Ahmad Rababaa, Executive Director of the Change Makers Center, emphasized that “empowering women in rural communities is not a choice, but a national necessity to ensure equal political, economic, and social participation in line with international standards for inclusive development.” He added that the Rural Women’s Forum aims to institutionalize feminist work in rural areas through a rural feminist movement that embraces the issues of women and young girls. This movement focuses on building deep understanding and delivering targeted interventions that contribute to justice, fairness, and gender equality. It also supports advocacy and influence pathways in partnership with local communities and national policymakers, led by the dedicated members of the Rural Women’s Forum – Equal Movement, in alignment with the values of justice, sustainable development, and both national and international women’s agendas.

The Director of the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation praised the efforts of the Rural Women’s Forum in adopting the issues and priorities of women in rural communities. He emphasized the importance of integrating these priorities into the decision-makers’ agenda, contributing to enhancing women’s participation in political life and enabling them to access leadership positions in municipal and decentralization councils.

Sven emphasized that the mobilization of rural women to make their voices heard is a pivotal step toward achieving social justice and promoting equal representation in decision-making positions. He stressed that the Friedrich Ebert Foundation is committed to supporting these efforts as a genuine investment in rural communities toward fair, inclusive, and sustainable development, with a focus on rural women.

Policy expert Mohammad Bani Mustafa pointed out that the training focused on developing advocacy skills and influencing public policies, planning advocacy campaigns, and engaging in dialogue with decision-makers, in preparation for the launch of the policy paper entitled: “Towards Inclusive Local Governance: Amending the Local Administration Law No. 22 of 2021.”

Lana Al-Momani, the Forum’s Coordinator, confirmed that the training provided a space for in-depth discussions on the main challenges facing women’s participation in municipal, decentralization, and local governance councils. It also explored pathways to develop practical recommendations that would contribute to building a more inclusive and equitable governance system for women in Jordan, while enhancing the presence of rural women in policy-making and decision-making positions at the local level.

Al-Momani emphasized that this training falls within the joint efforts of Safarat Al Reef Company, Change Makers Center, and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation to respond to the national women’s agenda and Jordan’s political modernization vision, in alignment with the fifth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5).