Meet four women and girls at the forefront of climate action in Jordan
All over the world women and girls are impacted by the effects of climate change. In Jordan, women are playing a key role in tackling climate related threats in their own communities.
Meet four women leading this fight against climate change and learn about the different approaches they have taken to drive action in their local communities.
Raising Awareness
Layan Al Bairouti: “Raising awareness is key to protecting the environment”
“I believe that raising awareness is key to protecting the environment, that’s why the idea of creating this video occurred to me,” said Layan Al Bairouti, a Palestinian refugee and student at the UNRWA Baqa’a Preparatory Girls’ School in Jordan.
Layan decided to submit her video to the UNICEF Environmental Project under the theme of reducing plastics. Her video impressed judges so much that she ended up winning the top prize out of 300 submissions from the Middle East and North Africa region.
“I decided to create the animation video because I wanted to address my peers in a different way and inspire them to be like me, interested in protecting the environment,” said Layan.
Her short, animated video included clips and interviews from her classmates sharing their own stories about why climate action matters.
The video also showcased some best practices on how to reduce single use plastic, encourage more people to recycle and inspire community actions which help reduce pollution and protect local animals and habitats.
“I feel sad when I see on the TV and on the internet the negative impact of plastic waste on our planet’s wildlife.” Layan added, “We can change that. We need to save our planet. It’s our responsibility.”
Read Layan’s full story as originally published on UN Jordan's website.
Focus on Agriculture
Aida Salameh: “I hope to build a more sustainable life for our families and community”
49-year-old Aida Salameh joined UN Women’s Oasis Centre in Tafilah, southern Jordan as an agricultural teacher. As an experienced and passionate farmer, Aida provides agricultural training to women in her community, teaching them new skills and encouraging them to start their own businesses.
“Agriculture has always been my passion. My grades were not high enough for me to enroll in a bachelor's program, but this did not stop me from obtaining my diploma in vegetable production. I had a few months of experience as a vocational trainer in schools, but it was not permanent. I wanted to continue my higher education, and my husband was supportive, but it was not possible as we could not afford it.”
For many years, Aida stayed at home taking care of her family in Tafilah. When she heard about the work opportunities on offer at the Oasis Centre, she knew she wanted to get involved. Her strong interest in agriculture and her desire to share knowledge with other women in the community motivated her to apply.
“I own a greenhouse and thought it would be good to share my knowledge with other women in the community. At the Oasis, I train fellow women on the basics of agriculture, as well as planting and plowing. The training also includes the benefits of greenhouse, utilizing different tools and equipment, how to plant crops and use fertilizers to maximize productivity, so women can start applying their skills in their own farm work.”
Read Aida’s full story as originally published on UN Women's website.
Sustainable Energy
Basma Al-Shatti: “The local communities in rural areas are the most affected by climate change”
The sustainable energy sector in Jordan is still a male dominated field, with men occupying many of the key technical and leadership roles. As a result, women’s participation in this sector has traditionally been more limited.
But as the group who are most impacted by the effects of climate change, women are a critical part of the solution. In Jordan more women have entered the sustainable energy sector and are leading efforts against climate change through adaptation, mitigation, and evidence-based response.
Basma Al-Shatti, Head of the Corporate Social Responsibilities Division in the Jordan Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF), is one of these women.
As an engineer by training, Basma never thought that she would be leading government efforts on sustainable energy. From Deir Alla Near Eastern town in Balqa Governorate, Basma started her journey to leading climate action for the energy sector at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Before joining the Ministry, Basma, who is a mother of two, obtained a scholarship to study engineering at the University of Jordan.
“Back then it was crucial for me to work hard and get a scholarship to obtain my bachelor’s degree. My passion to work in mechanics, production, and energy was a future path for me that I wanted to achieve that”, Basma said.
Now Basma finds herself leading an important division in the Jordan Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund which serves as a connection point with the local community. The fund leads national efforts to optimize energy consumption through financing sustainable solutions that enhances energy efficiency and increases the use renewable energy. The fund works in close coordination local and international institutions and stakeholders.
The energy sector is one of the main contributors to climate change globally, and the main source of carbon emissions in Jordan, where it contributes to over 76% of total national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2016.
Rural areas are often the most affected by climate change. The division works closely with rural communities to explore ways of minimizing energy consumption, including through the installation of solar panels.
Basma also leads another project in Amman, which focuses on energy consumption in the healthcare sector. Under Basma’s leadership the Jordan Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF) has provided these healthcare facilities with sustainable measures for cooling and heating such as photovoltaic systems which transform solar energy into renewable electricity.
Basma is proud of the work that she and her team are doing to increase sustainable energy consumption across Jordan.
“I want people to look at me as a qualified engineer in the energy sector, who is an expert in the field”, Basma said.
Read Basma’s full story as originally published on UNDP's website.
Water conservation
Samahir: “Everyone should cooperate to save water”
Syrian refugee Samahir lives in Zaatari Camp in Jordan and knows first-hand the importance of conserving water. She believes that everyone should work together and cooperate to save water.
Samahir uses a plastic basin to save water for planting. Her garden is full of greens and plants which are thriving.
“Any water you save is good. Greywater does not harm plants; it is harmless. As long as water is clean, it can’t do any damage. A small amount of water can do wonders” explains Samahir.
“Saving water is for the climate change and the harsh conditions here in the camp.”
This story was drawn from this article originally published on UN Jordan's website. Editorial support provided by the UN Development Coordination Office.
To learn more about the results of our work in this area and beyond, please read the latest UNSDG Chair Report on DCO.
