Women Empowerment with MECC in Jordan Through Sewing Training Courses
“Women are half the society”. Many countries in the world are making efforts aiming to integrate women into all productive and economic sectors. However, the recent security, political, health conditions, and the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, have negatively affected their lives, especially in the Middle East, which is sinking into escalating crises.
In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, for example, the Department of Statistics mentioned that the female unemployment rate has increased to 31.5% in the first quarter of the current year compared to last year. Another country report issued in 2021 shows that women's economic participation has decrease by 3.3%, after it recorded the highest rate of 17.3% in 2017.
Hence, the Middle East Council of Churches is working to enhance women’s role in societies through various programs it implements in many countries of the region. Recently, the MECC office in Jordan, in cooperation with the Rum Orthodox Church in Al Fuhais, Al Balqa governorate, launched the second part of the sewing training courses’ program, which it had started months ago.
This program aims to empower women and develop their capabilities to overcome the difficulties and challenges they are facing daily. As well as, it helps them access job opportunities so they can be able to support themselves and their families towards a more sustainable future.
Twenty Jordanian, Iraqi and Syrian women from the most vulnerable groups affected by the difficult living conditions participated in the second part of the training. They learned a new skill which is sewing techniques using the necessary machines and tools. They were accompanied by a team of female trainers who participated in the first part of the program as trainees.
It is worth mentioning that the Middle East Council of Churches is implementing similar and various craft courses as part of many programs in Lebanon and Syria, aiming at supporting women morally and financially in order to achieve a positive change in their lives.
