About Businesswomen Committee

Businesswomen Committee

The Businesswomen Committee is dedicated to representing the interests of its members and advancing the role of women in economic empowerment. It was established pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Amman Chamber of Commerce at the beginning of 2022, in line with the Chamber's development vision and its strong belief in the vital role women entrepreneurs play in supporting Jordan's national economy. The Committee reflects the Chamber's commitment to serving and developing the businesswomen sector and enhancing its contribution to economic growth.

Objectives

The Committee aims to:

  • Support the growth and development of the women's business sector.
  • Strengthen and empower women-owned businesses.
  • Enhance the competitiveness of businesswomen in local and international markets.
  • Promote women's products and services through exhibitions and trade fairs.
  • Provide business consultation and advisory services.
  • Deliver specialized capacity-building programs, including training courses and workshops, to enhance the skills and capabilities of businesswomen.

Committee Membership

The Committee consists of nine businesswomen elected from among the General Assembly members of the Amman Chamber of Commerce, in accordance with the Businesswomen Committee Bylaw. Its members represent women business owners and women working in the commercial and service sectors throughout the city of Amman.

Establishment of the Committee

The establishment of the Committee was prompted by the presence of approximately 8,000 businesses registered with the Amman Chamber of Commerce that are either owned by women or include women as business partners. Recognizing the importance of this growing segment, the Chamber's Board of Directors adopted this pioneering initiative to provide dedicated support to its women members by identifying and addressing their challenges and business needs. The initiative also aims to pave the way for future representation of businesswomen on the Chamber's Board of Directors.

To launch the initiative, the Chamber's Board of Directors established a Founding (Interim) Businesswomen Committee, composed of female members of the Chamber's General Assembly, with a mandate of seven months from the date of its official formation. During this period, preparations were made for the first-ever election of a Businesswomen Committee in the history of Jordan's Chambers of Commerce, which took place at the end of October 2022. Thereafter, subsequent Committee elections would be held following each Chamber of Commerce election cycle.

The Founding Committee held its inaugural meeting on Sunday, 27 February 2022, attended by:

  • Ms. Hala Bseiso
  • Eng. Nisreen Barakat
  • Ms. Suzan Affaneh
  • Dr. Rana Al-Akhal
  • Ms. Nadia Al-Dajani
  • Ms. Fadwa Al-Adayleh
  • Ms. Maha Sha'sha'a
  • Ms. Noura Mihyar
  • Ms. Ruba Al-Ahmad

For the initial seven-month term, the Chamber's Board of Directors appointed Ms. Hala Bseiso as Chairperson. The Committee subsequently elected Eng. Nisreen Barakat as Vice Chairperson and Ms. Ruba Al-Ahmad as Secretary (Rapporteur).

During its interim term, the Founding Committee held five comprehensive meetings, in coordination with members of the Chamber's Board of Directors, to draft the regulatory bylaw governing the Committee's work. The approved bylaw defines the Committee's mission, objectives, powers, responsibilities, and duties. It also establishes provisions relating to committee composition, membership categories, election procedures, terms and conditions of membership, the Chamber's obligations toward the Committee, and the applicable general and transitional provisions.