News From the region

Public-Private Partnership Initiative Launching in Jordan to Expand Opportunities for Women

Jordanian leaders from business, civil society and government, including Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, have come together for a symposium with experts from the Middle East and the United States on February 6-7 to expand social and economic opportunities for women in the country through public-private partnerships.

The symposium, taking place at the Dead Sea, Jordan, is showcasing successful local, regional and international public-private partnerships. Experts are sharing models that have led to sustainable cross-sector collaboration around the world, benefiting businesses as well as the people in their communities.

The Jordanian Forum for Public-Private Partnerships also is being launched at the symposium to support potential ongoing collaboration on issues such as domestic violence and breast cancer research and awareness.

Among the symposium participants from the United States are private and public sector representatives such as Erin Walsh, senior advisor in the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs; Craig Johnstone, former U.S. ambassador and former Boeing vice president; and Dennis Butler of Liz Claiborne, Inc.

The symposium was made possible by funding from the U.S. Department of State's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), which supports greater freedom and opportunity for people in the region. In four years, the initiative has devoted more than $293 million to reformers so democracy can spread, education can thrive, economies can grow, and women can be empowered. The symposium was organized by the Dead Sea Institute and Vital Voices Global Partnership, with support from Mahara and the South-East Consortium for International Development.