Ruba Matarneh

Women's Representation in the Lower House of Parliament:: the Case of Jordan Ruba Matarneh

This work attempts to investigate main obstacles to women?s representation in political leadership in Jordan and how best they can be overcome? In order to answer this question, the book investigates various literature, surveys, research produced on the subject of women and political participation. The dissertation, while appropriating available academic research on women and political participation in the Arab region in general and Jordan in specific, is also based on a review of newspapers interviews with women MPs. The dissertation provides an illustration of women?s under-representation and outlines the common situation with emphasis on the Arab region. It also provides an analysis to the situation in Jordan and the associated socio-cultural, attitudinal, and institutional challenges. Through a study of literature, it became apparent that women?s under-representation in Jordan is similar to other Arab countries, and it differs in its attempt to adopt policies of liberalization and political reform.