After a series of training-of-trainers training sessions, participants in the EU-funded project “Empowering Each Other: United for Change” acquired behavioral skills and experiences based on supporting civic engagement among men and women and its role in promoting community protection. The participants recognized the importance of achieving “justice in providing social protection for all, and the need to support women to pioneer and succeed in community campaigns and initiatives and participate effectively in public affairs”.
Young people from the governorates of Amman, Madaba, Ajloun, Zarqa, Karak, Tafileh, Ma’an, Balqa, and Jerash participated in the training, in addition to participants from UN Women’s Oasis Centers in Azraq and Zaatari camps, who acquired the principles of training of trainers in terms of skills and knowledge that enhance civic engagement and social protection frameworks for them and their communities and motivate men and women to support each other. Thanks to these principles and skills, such as communication and effective facilitation, they can act as ambassadors in their communities through sharing knowledge and training other individuals, as well as positive interaction and effective collaboration.
The “Empowering Each Other” project, implemented in partnership between the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and UN Women Jordan, and within a project funded by the European Union, seeks to equip young women and men with the knowledge and skills to become trained in civic engagement and social protection in their governorates, as well as adopting positive behaviors and raising awareness and participation among men and women alike.
The trainees launched the “Together to Promote Justice towards Real Civic Participation: United for Change” initiative, with the aim of connecting with the local community and raising awareness among women about the importance of community participation, which was achieved through interactive discussions and illustrative examples to improve women’s understanding of social reality and civic engagement.
The initiative provided special activities to 1,196 men and women in the targeted host communities. These initiatives and other trainings held during this campaign reflect the great ability of women to implement community initiatives in their areas, as well as highlighting the importance of improving women’s living and social conditions, in addition to raising awareness among men and women about justice and its importance and the impact of societal customs and traditions on the lives of individuals.
Overall, this initiative has left a profound impact among young women and men, reinforcing the commitment to championing and advancing the causes of their communities, as they expressed their desire to conduct more initiatives that include discussion sessions on various topics, particularly exploring civic political participation among young people, especially that this experience has led to a shift in their perspective towards different issues in society, in the hope that they will leave a meaningful impact.
In conclusion, the participants recommended the need to promote integrated training, challenge stereotypes, and enhance the capabilities of women and men in tandem, while generating viable ideas to improve the training of civil society organizations, in addition to providing specialized training in advocacy and how to lead these campaigns, and conducting more awareness and training courses on the topic of civic participation and its forms in our lives, with a focus on volunteering among young people to improve and develop their skills and their characters, as well as the need for active civic engagement in less fortunate areas, and the need to strengthen social protection initiatives and support women’s participation in local associations and charitable activities.
