Jordan has been a longstanding ally of Western nations. But the status of women — their treatment in the labor force, access to good medical care and participation in politics — has deteriorated in recent years, although Jordanian women have made gains in education. A country where conservative tribes are often the backbone of government authority, Jordan has sat near the bottom of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report for the past decade.
According to Mrs. Khader alone, 11,000 girls under 18 were married by their parents in 2017. Many of these girls were often living in refugee camps or other marginalized communities. In a time of high unemployment, marrying a daughter can be seen as a way to reduce the household’s financial burden. High rates of physical, sexual and emotional abuse of women between the ages of 15 and 49 are also common.
“Asma remained focused on making sure other women, especially those from underserved and refugee communities, could access skills training, learning and economic opportunities,” the Women’s Learning Partnership said in a statement.
Asma Hanna Khader, born Jan. 25, 1952 in Zababida (a West Bank town) which was then under Jordanian control. Hanna was her father and a translator for Jordanian Armed Forces. Martha, her mother owned a clothing shop located in Amman. Asma attended school in the city and worked in her mother’s store.
Mrs. Khader received her undergraduate degree in law from the University of Damascus back in 1977. She established her own legal office in 1984 and was one of Jordan’s few practicing female lawyers.
After the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, King Hussein imposed martial law in Jordan. The law prohibited political parties and large public gatherings and gave the government broad power to limit freedom of speech and to try ordinary criminal cases at military courts.
Mrs. Khader joined the male-dominated resistance movement and became a vocal activist despite the risk to her life. She represented political prisoners.
Source: NY Times