'Ring The Bell' For Gender Equality Initiative Highlights Rights, Justice, Action - ASE

(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN - The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE), in collaboration with UN Women, UN Global Compact Jordan (UNGCJ), and the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSE), hosted the 12th annual Ring The Bell (RTB) for Gender Equality event.

Held in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, the global initiative focused on advancing inclusive and sustainable business practices in over 110 stock exchanges worldwide.

The theme of this year is “Ring the Bell for ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Justice. Action,” which called for urgent action to address structural barriers to gender equality, including discriminatory laws and harmful practices that hinder women’s economic participation.

The RTB initiative, led by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), has been raising awareness about gender equality for more than a decade, according to a statement of ASE.

ASE has been a steadfast participant in this global campaign, joining in 2015 and hosting the event each year since.

In 2022, ASE further solidified its commitment by signing the Women’s Empowerment Principles, aligning with global efforts to empower women in the workplace and marketplace.

During the event, ASE CEO Mazen Wathaifi underscored the significance of the initiative, stating, “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality is a global moment for companies and investors to turn ambition into measurable progress.”

“Advancing gender equality strengthens governance, resilience, and long-term value creation.” Wathaifi emphasised the importance of embedding gender equality into business operations, citing policies, reporting standards.

The 2026 RTB theme, “Rights. Justice. Action,” focused on three core pillars; safeguarding women’s rights in the workplace, embedding justice within corporate systems, and implementing concrete actions to achieve gender equality.

The theme highlighted the need for businesses to take measurable steps to eliminate violence, discrimination, and exploitation, and to address structural inequalities within their organisations.

The theme also called for the private sector to integrate fairness and transparency into governance and operations, with a focus on advancing gender equality beyond token commitments.

“Implementing concrete, measurable actions aligned with gender equality goals is key to driving inclusive, sustainable growth,” said Wathaifi.

In line with these goals, ASE participated in a new round of the online Gender Equality in Capital Markets training, which helps companies understand sustainable finance and corporate reporting while integrating gender considerations into investment strategies.

The ASE’s efforts reflect a broader commitment to fostering a more inclusive financial market in Jordan.

Chairperson of the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC), Emad Abu Haltam, stated, “Greater participation of women in capital markets contributes to stronger institutions and supports sustainable economic growth.”

Abu Haltam also noted that the JSC is working towards launching ESG (environmental, social, and governance) guidelines that will incorporate diversity considerations, including gender, as part of efforts to promote well-governed institutions.

UN Women Representative to Jordan, Nicolas Burniat, stressed the need for systems that enable women’s full participation in the economy, while addressing workplace violence and expanding opportunities for women-led businesses.

He pointed to the success of the Women Empowerment Principles Programme, which has shown that companies adopting these principles strengthen their brand value and reputation.

In 2025, 62 per cent of participating companies reported improvements in these areas.

One of the key objectives of the principles programme in Jordan is to increase women’s employment by 5 per cent by 2030, aligning with Jordan’s Economic Modernisation Vision, which aims to double women’s labour force participation by 2033.

The UN Women Jordan office also reported progress through its WEPs Regional Monitoring Tool, which recorded a 66 per cent response rate from 256 signatory companies in 2025.

These companies reported gradual but clear progress, with women now holding 42 per cent of jobs in signatory companies, up from 41 per cent in 2024.

Moreover, 56 per cent of new recruits were women, reflecting stronger gender-responsive recruitment practices.

Chairperson of UN Global Compact Network Jordan, Jamal Fariz, noted that this year’s theme served as a reminder that achieving gender equality requires collective action, sustained commitment, and partnerships that transform global principles into tangible impact.

The event concluded with the ceremonial ringing of the bell at ASE, symbolising Jordan’s commitment to creating inclusive workplaces and equitable opportunities for women and girls.

The initiative continues to raise awareness of the critical need for private-sector involvement in gender equality, with a growing emphasis on measurable actions and long-term commitments.

As gender equality remains a key pillar of sustainable development, ASE’s role in the RTB initiative reinforces Jordan’s dedication to ensuring women’s full participation in the economic and financial sectors.

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