Building Democracy in Jordan: Women Political Participation, Political Party Life and Democratic Elections

Internal pressures and advocacy for change have raised awareness and precipitated debates about the nature and need for reform processes in many Arab countries. Such debates have drawn in a diverse range of groups articulating interests and defining their own political programmes. In this context, electoral processes, women's participation and political parties have emerged as central issues in political reform agendas in the Arab world. The establishment in the mid 1990s of pan-Arab and transnational satellite television and radio channels widened space for debate that was not subject to national-level restrictions and censorship. In addition, the ratification by many Arab governments of international conventions related to political and economic reforms and the abolition of all forms of discrimination against women has offered new leverage for change. Demographic trends (60 per cent of the population in these countries is under adult age) are giving added impetus to demands for further economic and political reform. As a result, many reforms have been introduced in countries like Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, while political openness has been developing in Yemen. Advances continue in Jordan and Morocco, where reforms were already in progress. The first United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Arab Human Development Report(AHDR) (2002), prepared by Arab scholars and experts, identified the three most important development challenges facing the Arab world as deficits in knowledge, freedom, and women's empowerment. In the conclusions of the AHDR - echoed in the declarations of many Arab reformers and regional networks - the way forward in Arab countries is seen as lying through 'promoting good governance' and 'reforming the state institutions, and activating the voice of the people'. Emphasis was placed on: *comprehensive political representation in effective legislatures that are based on free, hones, efficient and regular elections; *legal and administrative procedures which guarantee citizens' rights and are compatible with fundamental human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association for all; and *women's participation in political, economic and other societal institutions.