Gender Equality and Inclusion

In 2026, Edmaaj implemented the “Enhance Women’s Participation and Leadership in Local Governance” assignment for UN Women. The project aimed to strengthen the knowledge, leadership, and mentoring capacities of current and former female members of local administration bodies in Jordan, promote gender-responsive and participatory local governance, and support the work of Women’s Empowerment Units within municipalities and governorates. The assignment targeted women appointed to Interim Municipal Committees and members of the Nashmeyat Network across Jordan’s Northern, Central, and Southern regions.

Edmaaj applied a participatory and evidence-based approach comprising document review, participant outreach and selection, 11 gender-responsive Focus Group Discussions with 95 women representing 33 municipalities, thematic analysis, capacity-building programme design and delivery, mentor selection, and monitoring and evaluation. Edmaaj developed training materials covering local governance systems, municipal planning and budgeting, community engagement, women’s leadership, negotiation and consensus-building, and media and public communication. Three three-day regional capacity-building workshops were delivered in Aqaba, Irbid, and Amman for 60 women.

Edmaaj also developed a comprehensive Mentorship Guide, mentor selection criteria, scoring tools, mentor–mentee pairing guidelines, monitoring tools, and practical templates for planning, documenting, and evaluating mentoring relationships. A two-day mentorship training workshop was delivered in Amman for 41 selected women. The assignment’s deliverables included an inception report, an FGD report and capacity-building plan, training materials, a participant handbook, a mentorship framework and guide, and a final implementation report.

In 2026, Edmaaj provided technical and advisory support to the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), in coordination with the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment, to update the Institutional Gender Mainstreaming and Women’s Empowerment Policy for the Public Sector and develop its three-year implementation plan. The assignment aimed to institutionalise gender equality and women’s empowerment across government policies, structures, procedures, and accountability systems, while aligning the policy with Jordan’s public-sector, economic, and political modernisation priorities, relevant national strategies, and international frameworks.

Edmaaj applied a participatory, evidence-based approach combining an extensive review of the 2020 policy, its implementation plan, legislation, national strategies, public-sector frameworks, and international references with stakeholder consultations and technical validation. Consultations involved JNCW, relevant technical teams, secretaries-general, gender focal points, Women’s Empowerment Units and Directorates, government institutions, and international partners, including GIZ, UN Women, and the ILO. Edmaaj developed an integrated analytical report, the updated policy, a detailed three-year implementation plan defining priority interventions, responsibilities, timelines, and performance indicators, and a monitoring and evaluation matrix. It also prepared institutional planning and annual reporting templates to support consistent implementation and monitoring across government institutions.

Edmaaj also developed a Unified National Glossary of Gender Terminology and a Reference Framework for Organisational Models and Job Competencies for public-sector gender-mainstreaming and women’s empowerment functions. This included reviewing terminology, organisational structures, job descriptions, regulations, and human-resource frameworks; developing standardised organisational models, roles and responsibilities, reporting lines, selection criteria, and competency cards; and conducting technical consultations and validation with JNCW, government stakeholders, and the Public Service and Administration Commission.

In 2025, Edmaaj led the “Gender Assessment of the Local Administration and Capacity Strengthening of Women’s Empowerment Units” for UN Women: The project aimed to advance gender-responsive local governance in Jordan by strengthening the institutional capacity of local administration bodies and empowering Women’s Empowerment Units (WEUs) to integrate gender equality across their mandates, policies, and operations. Implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Local Administration (MoLA), the assignment targeted 21 local councils, including 12 governorate councils and 9 municipal councils, to identify institutional gender gaps and support sustainable gender reforms.

Edmaaj applied the ILO Participatory Gender Audit (PGA) methodology, conducting gender audits across all 21 councils through document reviews, e-surveys with 635 respondents, 74 KIIs, and 21 participatory workshops. Each council received a tailored gender audit report with practical recommendations, while findings were consolidated into a National Gender Assessment Report to guide systemic gender mainstreaming within local governance.

Building on the assessment, Edmaaj developed 21 tailored executive action plans for WEUs to institutionalise gender integration, supported nine municipalities in drafting formal gender policies, and designed and delivered a three-day national training workshop for 24 representatives from municipal and governorate councils. The training focused on gender-responsive planning, advocacy, budgeting, monitoring, and institutional application of gender-sensitive approaches. The assignment resulted in concrete institutional outputs, including approved gender policies, structured action plans, strengthened monitoring frameworks with gender indicators, and enhanced coordination between MoLA and local councils, laying the foundation for institutionalised, gender-responsive governance, stakeholder engagement, and local-level capacity strengthening across Jordan’s decentralised system.

Edmaaj implemented an assignment for the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) and the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) in developing and operationalising internal institutional policies to prevent workplace violence, harassment, gender-based violence and harassment, and discrimination. The assignment aimed to strengthen safe, inclusive, and rights-based working environments in alignment with Jordanian legislation, Ministry of Labour guidance, and international labour standards, particularly ILO Convention No. 190 and Recommendation No. 206. Edmaaj conducted inception and consultative meetings with the ILO, MoSD, and JNCW; reviewed existing institutional policies, procedures, and national and international frameworks; and applied workplace risk-assessment and institutional assessment tools to identify gaps, risks, and priority areas. Edmaaj prepared summary assessment reports for both institutions and developed two tailored institutional policy packages, including internal policies, standard operating procedures, complaint and grievance mechanisms, reporting and escalation procedures, confidentiality safeguards, roles and responsibilities, sanctions and remedies, monitoring arrangements, and supporting templates. Edmaaj also facilitated validation workshops with institutional task forces, incorporated stakeholder feedback, finalised the policies for institutional adoption, and developed and delivered awareness and capacity-building sessions, presentations, and one-page orientation materials for staff.

Edmaaj conducted participatory and gender-responsive assessment under the HERitage: Women, Culture, and Development in Madaba project, aimed at advancing gender-inclusive participation in the cultural heritage and tourism sectors. The assignment focused on identifying women’s roles, challenges, and leadership opportunities within Madaba’s heritage ecosystem, generating evidence-based recommendations to inform local policy and programming.

Using a mixed-methods approach, Edmaaj conducted a desk review of strategies and legal frameworks; KIIs with government, civil society, and tourism stakeholders; and a stratified phone survey targeting women, youth, and other community members in Madaba. Additionally, three participatory workshops were held with local NGOs, women workers, youth, and officials of local government’s offices, and a participatory mapping exercise and GIS-based map were also developed to highlight tourism assets and demographic data. A final assessment report was produced to guide project activities and shape the stakeholder engagement approach.

Based on findings, Edmaaj designed a gender-sensitive media campaign showcasing women’s contributions, focusing on entrepreneurs, artisans, educators, informal workers, and youth across Madaba, which was initiated and launched by Madaba Municipality in partnership with the Cities Alliance (CA).

Edmaaj designed and delivered a Training of Trainers (ToT) program in Amman to strengthen the leadership and climate resilience skills of women in the Basra Marshlands of southern Iraq. Implemented in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the project aimed to increase women’s participation in local climate adaptation through a cascade training model.

The three-day ToT workshop equipped 12 women leaders with the knowledge and tools to train an additional 75 women in their communities. Edmaaj developed a bilingual training curriculum and a tailored Training Toolkit that included facilitator guides, participatory exercises, localized case studies, and M&E templates adapted to the cultural and environmental context of Basra.

To measure impact, Edmaaj conducted pre- and post-training assessments to evaluate learning outcomes and tracked participant progress. Ongoing mentoring and virtual support were provided to ensure quality and consistency during the community-level rollout of the training.

Edmaaj partnered with Social Development Direct (SDD) to provide strategic and operational support to the Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH) in the MENA region. Funded by UKAid through the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the RSH global programme aims to strengthen safeguarding policy and practice across the international aid sector, with a particular focus in this phase on Yemen, Syria, and Jordan.

The project led multiple streams of work to support civil society organizations (CSOs) in adopting and applying safeguarding policies to prevent and respond to Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). Key activities included organizational capacity assessments, risk and baseline assessments, and the development of context-appropriate safeguarding tools and resources—made accessible via an open-source online platform in both Arabic and English.

The team also designed blended learning programs tailored to stakeholder needs, conducted targeted training workshops, orientation webinars, and implemented mentorship initiatives to help CSOs integrate safeguarding measures into their operations and governance. This approach combined technical rigor with regional relevance to create a responsive and sustainable safeguarding ecosystem.

Edmaaj conducted a comprehensive Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) stocktaking exercise for the UAE Network, commissioned by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The assignment aimed to map current GESI efforts across the network, identify gaps and priorities, and build internal capacity to advance GESI mainstreaming in future programming and operations.

The process included a participatory workshop with UAE Network members to assess ongoing GESI initiatives, available resources, and institutional capacity. Edmaaj also conducted key informant interviews (KIIs) with UAE Network staff and partners, delivered a tailored training session on GESI principles, and developed terms of reference (ToR) for a follow-on GESI analysis.

The stocktaking emphasized the inclusion of socially excluded groups—particularly women, girls, and persons with disabilities—and provided practical insights and recommendations to support stronger, more inclusive practices across the UAE Network.

Edmaaj conducted research to examine the barriers preventing survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in Jordan from accessing essential response services. The study aimed to understand the socio-economic, cultural, and systemic factors that shape survivors’ help-seeking behaviours across healthcare, legal, and psychosocial sectors.

Using a mixed-methods approach, Edmaaj conducted a desk review of national frameworks and global best practices, followed by key informant interviews (KIIs) with representatives from NGOs, UN agencies, and government institutions. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with women from diverse backgrounds—including refugees, GBV survivors, and women with disabilities. In addition, structured surveys were administered to gather quantitative data from survivors and service users.

The research identified key barriers such as stigma, limited awareness, institutional inefficiencies, and gaps in service coverage. Edmaaj provided practical, evidence-based recommendations to improve survivor-centred services and strengthen GBV response systems. The study was conducted in adherence to strict ethical protocols, ensuring informed consent, safeguarding, and gender-sensitive engagement throughout.

Edmaaj conducted a Comprehensive Social Impact Assessment for the World Bank Group’s five-year Programme for Results (PforR) on “Women’s Economic Opportunities” in Jordan. The programme aims to expand women’s participation in the workforce by improving legal and workplace environments, enhancing financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, increasing access to safe and affordable transportation, and scaling quality childcare services.

In coordination with the Government of Jordan, Edmaaj assessed the social risks and impacts of proposed programme activities in accordance with the World Bank Group’s Environmental and Social (E&S) standards. The assessment examined the government’s capacity to manage E&S risks and recommended actions to strengthen systems related to stakeholder engagement, institutional coordination, and risk mitigation.

Edmaaj also reviewed existing legal and policy frameworks and facilitated consultations with key stakeholders, including civil society organizations, private sector actors, and public institutions. The team supported the design and evaluation of Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs) and addressed sensitive issues such as Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH) to ensure safeguards were in place for inclusive and gender-responsive programme implementation.