int@j, GIZ join forces to empower women in ICT sector

AMMAN — The Information and Communication Technology Association of Jordan (int@j) has signed a cooperation agreement with the “Employment-oriented MSME Promotion” Project (MSME).

The project has been implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), according to an int@j statement.

The agreement was signed by Amjad Swais, the newly elected Chairman of int@j, Elisabeth Girrbach, GIZ Jordan Country Director, and Diana Hollmann, GIZ MSME Project Lead, in the presence of Ruba Darwish, Board Member of int@j and Head of the SHETECHS initiative as well as NidalBitar, int@j’s CEO. 

This agreement aims to improve the conditions for women's participation in the digital economy in all possible roles, be it in management or as technical staff. 

The two parties will develop and implement a strategy to integrate women's economic empowerment into their activities, strengthen specialised research on data of women’s participation in the digital economy, and collect best practices in the global digital economy to strengthen evidence-based decision-making, the statement said.

Darwish said that the agreement contributes to the efforts of int@j in empowering women in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. 

She also pointed to the role of the initiative in qualifying females, especially in the southern governorates, to acquire the necessary skills to work using technology and the Internet.

Darwish noted that int@j strives to develop the capacities of women working or willing to work in the ICT  sector. 

Girrbach, in a GIZ statement, said that globally as well as in Jordan, GIZ has long been engaged in working with its public and private sector partners on women’s economic empowerment and gender equality.

“Our efforts through the regional project EconoWin in promoting gender diversity management in large businesses and our support of the vocational training initiative SHETECHS of int@j are just two examples of our work in this important area,” she said.

Commenting on the agreement, Hollmann said: “We appreciate having int@j as a committed partner in the ICT sector to promote women’s economic empowerment. 

“By joining forces to help increase women’s participation in the ICT sector we aim at improving growth opportunities for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises in Jordan more broadly.”