The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation in Jordan

Photo: Christopher Herwig

Kvinna till Kvinna has supported women’s rights in Jordan since 2007. Our work in Jordan is conducted from our office in Amman. Jordan is one of the few Middle Eastern countries where the women’s movement has achieved major victories.

Photo: Christopher Herwig

Why we work in Jordan

Despite major victories, women still face several obstacles such as:

Difficulties to report violence
Access to work
Underrepresentation within politics
Shrinking space for the women’s movement
Lack of rights for women refugees

How we support women in Jordan

Together with our partner organisations in Jordan, we:

Advocate for changes to laws, policies and practices to advance women’s rights
Promote women’s participation in politics, especially at the local level
Support the provision of legal aid, shelter and counselling to victims of abuse
Prevent gender-based violence and document its occurrence
Empower women to enter the labour market
Raise awareness of CEDAW and monitor its implementation
Support young women to take on leadership roles

Release of thirty-six women

To protect women from being harmed by their family in revenge for “misbehaviour,” women may be imprisoned in Jordan. Our partner SIGI provides these women with legal support and acts as a mediator in their cases. Since 2016, SIGI has secured the release of 36 female prisoners.

“It was like a door that opened, a second chance at life”

Our partner organisation SIGI (Sisterhood Is Global Institute) provides legal support, case management services and mediation to women who are “administratively detained” in Jordan. To protect women who are believed to have “morally misbehaved” from being harmed by their family, women may be imprisoned in Jordan. Since the start of 2016, SIGI has helped negotiate the release of 36 such female prisoners.

4 March 2018

Jordan: “The centre offers a glimmer of hope”

Fourteen-year-old Elham, a refugee in Jordan, married an eighteen-year-old compatriot from Syria. After being repeatedly abused, she moved back to her family. Today, she gets help and support from Kvinna till Kvinna's partner organisation Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU).

18 October 2012

Last updated or reviewed 29 November 2024