On March 23rd, the Al Quds Center for Political Studies organized a workshop titled "Enhancing Political and Partisan Participation and Reducing Abstention" at the Al Zarqa City Hall. The workshop featured speakers Mrs. Mayada Shreem, a Member of Parliament, and Mr. Motaz Abu Rumman, Secretary-General of the Al-Amal Party. Ms. Hala Salem, the Executive Director of the Al Quds Center for Political Studies, facilitated the discussion.

In her opening speech, Mrs. Salem welcomed the participants and highlighted the issue of abstention from voting and the decreasing voter turnout over the last three decades in several constituencies in the governorates of Amman, Irbid, and Al Zarqa. She further noted the opportunities offered by the outcomes of the Royal Committee to Modernize the Political System, emphasizing the push toward enhancing political participation for women and youth, especially in light of the allocation of 41 seats in the parliament for political parties.

Regarding partisan activism, Salem emphasized the importance of joining political parties due to their role in shaping civic engagement and strengthening presence in the field of public activism. She further stressed that partisan activism is a form of volunteering and activist work. She encouraged those interested in joining parties to choose the one closest to their stances and orientations.

Regarding women's political participation, Salem underscored that public opinion surveys demonstrate women's qualifications and emphasized their distance from all kinds of corrupt practices in public and political activism as compared to men. She concluded by deepening the role of political participation in preserving Jordanian civil society, considering the regional challenges facing Jordan.

In her remarks, MP Mayada Shreem discussed the role of the House of Representatives in enacting the political parties and elections law of 2022. She highlighted the significant aspects of these laws and the provisions aimed at enhancing the role of women and youth. Notably, she mentioned the new requirement that a female candidate be placed in the national list among the first, and second, three person groupings of candidates. Shreem also pointed out that women now occupy leadership positions, emphasizing a political will to enhance their presence and participation.

Furthermore, Shreem underscored the importance of empowering women economically to strengthen their financial independence, as this plays a crucial role in enabling them to compete with men for political positions. She stressed the significant impact of economic and financial factors on political activism. Shreem concluded by emphasizing the necessity of raising awareness, pointing out that it is a collective responsibility shared among different institutions.

On his part, Motaz Abu Rumman, the Secretary-General of the Al 'Amal Party and former MP, noted that the Zarqa governorate is among the regions underrepresented in the House of Representatives and in development projects. He underscored the need to shift from slogans to tangible actions and real work, highlighting that women's capacity to work and achieve has surpassed that of men. Regarding the 'Amal Party, Abu Rumman stated that women and youth constitute 50% of the membership, and he talked about the possibility of joining the party electronically.

Participants emphasized the importance of political parties explicitly defining the roles of women and youth within them, rather than just citing membership statistics. They highlighted the critical role of economic empowerment for women in boosting their involvement and stressed the necessity of educating families about security concerns. This awareness is key to overcoming barriers to the political participation of women and youth.