How to promote gender equality through mainstreaming and inclusive participation approaches in policies and service delivery.
As Vice President of Basmat Al-Khair Women Charitable Organisation, Iqbal Lutfi Hamad manages programmes that support women’s economic participation and builds partnerships with civil society and private-sector organisations. Her work focuses on communities in the Zay and Allan area, home to around 20,000 people.
Jordanian women working together during a workshop on women’s economic empowerment.
Women and young people in Jordan face major barriers in the labour market. Women often have limited access to jobs and resources, face low wages and unsafe transport or working conditions, and may leave the labour market early. Young women interested in science and technology can face additional stereotypes about which careers are considered suitable for them.
Iqbal joined The Hague Academy’s Local Economic Development course in 2021 to gain practical tools for addressing these barriers and involving government, businesses, knowledge institutions and civil society in creating better economic opportunities for young women, particularly in traditionally male-dominated fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Learning how to better include women in the labour market
During the course, Iqbal worked with stakeholder analysis, SWOT analysis, and policy review. The session on gender and inclusion in local economic development was especially relevant to her work. 
“The interactive session on integrating inclusion and gender into local economic development helped me become more sensitive to women’s and youth economic empowerment.”
These tools helped Iqbal look beyond individual skills and employment challenges and examine the wider conditions that shape whether women can enter and remain in the labour market.
Applying lessons learned on inclusive economic development
After the course, Iqbal applied these insights directly to her work.
“In 2021, I developed new project proposals focusing on gender and challenging stereotypes against young women who want to pursue science and STEAM careers.”
One initiative worked with around 100 students and their parents, addressing attitudes within families and schools while encouraging young women to consider a wider range of career options. The project later expanded to three additional governorates. 
Iqbal also adapted a project for rural women to focus more strongly on career preparation and access to decent work. The women joined round tables and workshops with government and private-sector representatives to discuss their role in economic and public life and the barriers they face in entering the labour market.
She also developed training on women’s economic empowerment that has since reached more than 300 women across several projects.
“The course helped me better analyse the challenges women face and design projects that support women and young people to find and maintain decent work.”
Building partnerships to create opportunities for women
For Iqbal, lasting change means addressing not only women’s skills, but also the environment around them: employers, public institutions, schools, families and civil society all influence the opportunities available.
Her next goal is to strengthen cooperation between these actors, improve the link between employment opportunities and educational programmes, and create more opportunities for women and young people to access decent work.
“My long-term ambition is to strengthen cooperation between all actors involved, improve the connection between education and labour market needs, and create more opportunities for women and young people to access decent work.”
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