ESD is an imperative in Jordan, and across the whole Arab world, because although sustainability is more than a concept, it’s not yet a culture. Raising awareness in schools, universities, the public sector, and private companies is crucial if we are to make the most of our precious resources, and provide opportunities for our youthful population.
The Arab world faces serious development challenges: 5.7 million of our children are not enrolled in school, almost three and a half million of them are girls; 8.9 million of our young people are illiterate; and only one in four young people has a job. We must put young people at the top of our local, regional, and global agendas.
60% of our region is under the age of 30, that’s 70 million young people in the Arab world. They need our help in order to become all they can be. And that means that we need to create jobs, urgently. We need to be graduating young people with the skills and the tools they need to participate competitively in the global and regional job market. ESD is a key foundation block for us.
I am pleased that there have been some significant strides in this field. Last year, a group of dynamic business leaders established the Arab Sustainability Leadership Group, which I am proud to chair. Not only are members publishing sustainability reports and engaging civil society and business leaders, they are practicing their businesses in ways that support economic vitality, ecological integrity, and social equity. And that’s a smart start; they are great role models, but there’s still a long way for us to go.
What aspects of Education for Sustainable Development are particularly important to you and your country?
We recognize that all aspects of ESD are important for Jordan to prosper now and in the future. But given our water scarcity issues, water education and management are very important to us, as well as caring for, and making the most of, all our natural resources – our beautiful nature reserves, for example.
Additionally, ESD is important for us from a gender perspective. I’m proud that we’ve achieved gender parity at all levels of education in Jordan; in fact we have more girls at university than boys. But that doesn’t translate into workforce figures yet. Traditional mindsets still result in girls getting married and having children early, not joining the labour market – although, I’m pleased to say that this is changing. ESD is important to teach children and parents how girls can play a crucial and productive role in Jordan’s development.
Can you mention some specific projects?
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), with the Ministry of Education, has been integrating environmental concerns into the Jordanian curricula to ensure that environmental awareness is developed at an early stage. The RSCN organizes nature teams at schools, has founded over 1000 conservation clubs at local schools, and has prepared ESD manuals.
Several NGOs are active in providing non formal education and informal education opportunities for youth and women all over the country. These initiatives are conducted in places, and at times, to suit the rhythm of women who have to balance caring for their families with learning new skills.
We are also one of four countries in the Arab region (the others being Lebanon, Oman and Tunisia) with clear public budgets for ESD – proof of our commitment to creating lasting change.
Not many people know this, but Jordan is blessed with stunning nature reserves. They have enabled us to develop several award-winning sustainable tourism and eco-tourism projects, which help us both protect and promote the things that are most precious to us. Together with the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, and several other NGOs, we’re working hard to strike a balance between developing these areas, and encouraging people to visit, which generates income for local communities.
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