AMMAN: Women’s participation in Jordan’s social, economic, and political spheres has seen significant growth, with notable improvements in education, employment, and leadership roles, according to the latest figures from the kingdom’s Department of Statistics.
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, the department revealed that Jordan’s female population stood at just over 5.5 million by the end of 2024, accounting for 47.1 percent of the total population, the Jordan News Agency reported.
The majority — 60.7 percent — fall within the working-age group of 15-64 years, while 35.4 percent are under 15, and 3.9 percent are 65 and above. Women in Jordan also enjoy a higher life expectancy than men by an average of 3.2 years.
Education has been a driving force in women’s advancement, with illiteracy rates among Jordanian women aged 15 and above dropping from 16.5 percent in 2000 to just 6.8 percent in 2024. Meanwhile, the proportion of educated women has climbed to 93.2 percent.
Enrolment figures reflect steady progress, with female participation in basic education rising from 90 percent in 2000 to 94.8 percent in 2023.
Similarly, secondary education enrolment increased from 77 percent to 83.1 percent in the same period. Women now hold leadership positions in education, making up 76.4 percent of primary school principals and 61.5 percent of secondary school principals.
Higher education also continues to see strong female representation, with women constituting 54.7 percent of undergraduate students, 58.5 percent of master’s students, and 56 percent of doctoral candidates.
Women’s participation in Jordan’s workforce has also grown over the past 12 months, with the female economic participation rate rising from 14 percent in 2023 to 14.9 percent in 2024.
The vast majority (95.4 percent) of working women are paid employees, with nearly half (48.6 percent) employed in the private sector. Professional, technical, and specialist roles have become increasingly dominated by women, with their share rising from 73 percent to 75.9 percent over the past year.
Property ownership among women has also improved, with female land ownership increasing from 15.8 percent in 2015 to 19.2 percent in 2023.
Joint land ownership grew from 32.9 percent to 37.5 percent, while female apartment ownership climbed from 23 percent to 25.9 percent, with joint ownership also rising from 16 percent to 20.4 percent.
Financial independence has been another area of progress, with 82.8 percent of married women aged 15-49 actively participating in financial decision-making alongside their husbands, while 13.8 percent make independent financial choices.
Women’s political representation has expanded significantly, with female members in Jordan’s Lower House of Parliament increasing from 6.4 percent in 2008 to almost 20 percent in 2024. Nine women secured parliamentary seats through party lists, while 18 won through the gender quota system.
In the judiciary, the proportion of female judges has surged from 6.2 percent to 29.5 percent. Women also hold nearly a quarter of ministerial positions and 25.6 percent of diplomatic roles, including 15.4 percent serving as ambassadors.
