Women's voices have to be heard - Queen Rania

AMMAN (JT) - Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday checked on the Jordan River Foundation (JRF) community empowerment programs at Al Karma Center in Jabal Natheef.

Her Majesty also met with women beneficiaries from the Bani Hamida and Al Rayyan projects.

"A woman's voice is very important and has to be heard, whether through electoral participation or in Parliament itself," the Queen said, stressing the importance of women's civic engagement.

She also expressed her pride in their work and their role in changing society's view of women.

Commending the women beneficiaries' work, Her Majesty said they are "role models" for other women, especially in their ability to generate income and help their families, and prove to others a woman's ability to bring about positive change.

The women shared with the Queen the impact that their participation in the JRF programs has had on their lives, their income and their own views of their contributions to society.

The Queen toured the center's facilities, starting with the assembly line kitchen, where 10 women were taking a cooking course. This year, the kitchen was renovated and expanded by the International Relief and Development Organization, which partnered with JRF to train women on cooking and marketing. In addition, chefs from Amman's most well-known hotels regularly give the women supplementary training.

Her Majesty also visited the center's handicrafts workshop where women cut materials, assemble, process, draw, outline and label items that will be sold at the JRF showroom.

Initiated in 1988, the Jordan River Designs Project now operates under the umbrella of Al Karma Center.

The project employs 24 people at the center, and two others at the Wadi Rayyan project.

Both projects contract 255 women as direct beneficiaries to embroider traditional and contemporary home furnishings, gift items and fashion accessories. These women benefit another 849 women as indirect beneficiaries.

1 November 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://jordantimes.com/?news=31429.