Khaberni - Middle East University organized an extensive panel discussion entitled "Electoral Violence Against Women: Challenges and Opportunities", sponsored by the Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women Affairs, Her Excellency Engineer Maha Ali, and participated in by the Member of Parliament Professor Dr. Tamara Nasser Al-Din, and the President of the Karak Castle Center for Consulting and Training, Professor Israa Mahadin, and the Director of the Women Empowerment Unit at the Independent Election Commission, Ms. Samar Al-Tarawneh.
The session was attended by the University President Professor Dr. Salam Mahadin, her deputy Professor Dr. Ahmad Al-Lozi, deans of faculties, a selection of female leaders, academics, and experts in law and political empowerment, alongside a group of students.
In her opening speech during the symposium, which was moderated by the faculty member of the Media College, Dr. Hanan Al-Sheikh, the Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women Affairs, Engineer Maha Ali, outlined the role of the National Commission in the axis of politically empowering women, and enhancing their participation in public life, emphasizing her commitment in the context of her follow-up to implementing the objectives of the National Strategy for Women 2020-2025 and its implementation plan, to provide effective mechanisms for prevention, protection, and response to violence against women and girls in public, private, and digital spaces in cooperation with national authorities, partners, and civil society, especially since digital violence is one form of violence that women activists in public life are exposed to, sometimes leading to their withdrawal from the public scene.
Regarding the legislations related to electoral violence directed at women, she explained that the Jordanian legal and procedural framework has evolved significantly in recent years, and it provides reasonable protection in terms of criminalizing electoral violence, but it still needs to develop texts specifically for protecting women from electoral violence.
In turn, University President Professor Dr. Salam Mahadin said that Middle East University is committed to supporting female leadership in developing their political and leadership skills, through specialized training programs and research and community initiatives that enhance women's presence in the electoral process.
In her intervention, Professor Dr. Tamara Nasser Al-Din provided an in-depth analysis of one of the most prominent challenges facing women in their political path, which is electronic violence that started before her election campaign launched and continued afterward, taking various forms from digital bullying to organized attacks aimed at influencing public opinion and undermining women's presence in the political landscape.
She pointed out that this experience reflects a reality faced by many female candidates, which necessitates the development of a more stringent legal protection system, and the enhancement of training programs and digital media, to ensure an electoral environment that neither excludes nor restricts women.
Meanwhile, President of the Karak Castle Center for Consulting and Training, Israa Mahadin, emphasized that the practical confrontation of electoral violence requires the development of monitoring protocols based on precise standards for documentation and analysis, and the provision of comprehensive support packages including psychological counseling, and legal assistance, while Samar Al-Tarawneh, Director of the Women Empowerment Unit in the Independent Election Commission, mentioned that the commission is working on activating mechanisms to facilitate reporting and protection in cooperation with law enforcement, and expanding awareness and training programs for candidates and their campaign teams.
The panel discussion aims to open new horizons that pave the way for building a safer electoral environment that supports women and enables them to participate in politics with more confidence, effectiveness, and greater ability to influence public life.
