WUSC and CLIC announce new initiative to help women access employment in Jordan’s growing healthcare sector

OTTAWA, October 30, 2016 – World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Canadian Leaders in International Consulting Inc. (CLIC) announced a new initiative aimed at improving women’s economic empowerment in Jordan. With the support of Global Affairs Canada, “Women’s Economic Linkages and Employment Development (WE LEAD),” will help remove the barriers that prevent women from accessing fulfilling careers in Jordan’s growing healthcare sector.

“We are excited about this project because it will assist Jordan on its developmental journey. This Project will assist policy makers, employees and employers to develop a strategy and tools to increase the contribution of women in the private sector,” said Mazen Chouaib, CEO and President of CLIC. “We work very closely with partners in Canada and the Middle East and North Africa from the NGO and government sectors. This project came as a result of these long-standing partnerships.” 
The healthcare sector in Jordan is currently experiencing a gap in qualified healthcare professionals. The country is already well known in the region for its high standards of care and its services are well-sought after. The recent influx of refugee populations has only increased demand for healthcare services in the country.

At the same time, women currently represent less than 20 per cent of the total labour force in Jordan. Through WE LEAD, WUSC and CLIC will empower women to respond to Jordan’s growing healthcare demands. The initiative will work closely with vocational training colleges and private sector partners to improve women’s access to relevant vocational training, remove barriers to employment and retention, and help secure job placements and apprenticeships upon graduation.

“Empowering women is about increasing opportunities in the workforce for them and reducing gender barriers to become true entrepreneurs.” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie. “By working with experienced partners in direct employment and capacity building, we can help make a difference in the life of thousands of women.”
Gender-sensitive training curriculum will be developed in partnership with Camosun College, a leading institution in international education. Camosun College is a member of WUSC’s Canadian post-secondary education network and shares WUSC and CLIC’s vision of a better future for women, particularly young women.

“Young women are educated, capable, and eager to enter the workforce and contribute to their country’s development,” said Katharine Im-Jenkins, Director of Programs, WUSC. “Yet women face many obstacles to employment, including a lack of safe transportation to and from work and a lack of affordable daycare. WE LEAD will strive to close this gap for the next generation.”
In addition to the women directly supported through this initiative, WE LEAD will create positive change in the lives of many others, primarily through awareness raising activities, including social media campaigns, which seek to change the way the value of women’s employment is perceived in Jordan.

About WUSC:​ World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a Canadian international development non-profit organization dedicated to improving education, employment and empowerment opportunities for youth, women, and refugees in more than 25 countries around the world. For over fifty years, we have empowered our unique network of post-secondary institutions, private sector partners, and volunteers to help build a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world for youth.

About CLIC:​ Canadian Leaders in International Consulting Inc. (CLIC) is a professional services firm that provides high quality technical assistance and strategic advice in governance, institutional development and capacity building to public, private and not-for-profit sectors. CLIC provides expertise across three core pillars of service: CLIC-CONSULTING, CLIC-EVALUATION and CLIC-LEARNING.

For further information, please contact:
Stephanie Leclair, Communications and Fundraising Manager
World University Service of Canada (WUSC)
613-761-3714 | 613-700-9956 (c) | [email protected]
Website: https://wusc.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldUniService
Facebook: https://facebook.com/wusc.ca

Tammy Fanning, Strategic Business and Partnership Development Manager
Canadian Leaders in International Consulting Inc. (CLIC)
613-421-4888 ext 223 | [email protected]
Website: www.clic-consultants.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLICConsultants
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CLICconsulting