Special development objective 4 performance evaluation  

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are critical issues in Jordan. The country’s constitution
mandates equality for all citizens, yet laws restrict women’s employment options. Jordan lifted its
reservation to the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) on freedom of movement and residence, but left male dominance on family matters.
Statistics show that more women than men enrolled in university, but less than 15 percent of
women participate in the workforce due to social, economic, political and cultural factors that
include unconducive workplaces, poor transportation options and cultural norms dictating that a
women’s place is in the home