Abeer Madanat and Dr Sanaa Al Awamleh are wholeheartedly committed to democracy and incorruptibility, to say nothing of the rights of Jordanian society. The two raise awareness of democratic values and integrity among young people in particular, as they are the future of the country. They do this together with Rasheed (Transparency International-Jordan), a non-profit organisation that has been making an important contribution to fighting corruption in Jordan since 2014.
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‘I get very upset when I see any lack of justice or violation of citizens’ rights,’ says Abeer Madanat. The executive director of Jordanian NGO Rasheed (Transparency International-Jordan) grew up surrounded by a family who deeply cared for civil rights.
From my early childhood I have observed the way my father defended the issues that concerned the people,
she recalls, ‘regardless of the price he paid.’ After graduating in communications engineering and later in medical engineering, Abeer Madanat decided to follow his example. First, she worked in the public sector in the field of development, and then switched to civil society organisations.
At the time of the interview, Abeer Madanat was hosting her organisation’s Summer Integrity School. This brings together 15 young people from different government districts in Jordan in the Ajloun Forest Reserve in the north of the country. With the Integrity School, Rasheed has launched a project that sensitises youth to issues of incorruptibility, anti-corruption work, human rights, democracy, crisis prevention and conflict resolution. Through lectures, workshops and practical training, participants are provided with the necessary knowledge and are encouraged to raise their voices against bribery and embezzlement. They also learn about Rasheed’s corruption reporting systems. ‘The traditional method of presenting projects in a conference room will not achieve what we aspire,’ says the executive director. ‘The goal of the Integrity School is not just to teach values, but also to apply and practice them across different regions in Jordan.’
In the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index, Jordan has ranked about 60th out of 180 countries surveyed for several years. Rasheed is dedicated to fighting corruption and favouritism. ‘One of the basics of anti-corruption work is the availability of sufficient information,’ the executive director says. ‘Therefore, we always demand that the information be made available to the public.’ She sees the Integrity Schools as seeds from which a new foundation for civil rights, conflict resolution, integrity concepts and accountability can grow in Jordanian society: ‘I am pleased to see that the values we cultivate through the School of Integrity and the youth programs unleash youth initiatives within many governorates in Jordan.’
As Abeer Madanat watches her seeds sprout - what does she wish for the future of her country? ‘I hope that we will reach that stage where all parties can sit together in order to set national priorities,’ she says, ‘where civil society organisations, the public sector and the private sector all have their significant role.’
Dr. Sanaa Al Awamleh
‘We aim at the Jordanian citizens, specifically the youth,’ says Sanaa Al Awamleh. ‘They will be leaders of change in the future.’ Sanaa Al Awamleh herself volunteered with the civil society organisation, Rasheed (Transparency International-Jordan), after earning her doctorate in business administration. Today, she is Rasheed’s project coordinator.
With the Integrity Summer School, Rasheed has launched a project that encourages young people in Jordan to become actively involved in society. The response to it has been very positive - in 2021, the non-profit organisation offered two summer and two winter schools, drawing on the experience of previous years. ‘In this edition of the Integrity School, we have 15 participants,’ the project coordinator tells us. ‘Eight of whom are male, seven are female.’ She describes the range of methods the school offers. In addition to lectures on topics such as human rights and democracy, participants apply their new knowledge in workshops.
They also learn in practice how to plan and design campaigns. According to Sanaa Al Awamleh, the school is also a good opportunity to practice conflict resolution - because conflicting ideas are in the room anyway. Group activities are also on the schedule: ‘The participants have to solve problems as a team,’ says the coordinator. This ‘enhances the priority of the public interest.’ She is convinced that ‘this school will increase the involvement of these young people when it comes to societal topics that affect them.’ In this way, the project is intended to contribute to Rasheed’s overarching goal: to reduce corruption in Jordan.
My parents gave me the confidence to do anything.
When describing the current situation in her country, Sanaa Al Awamleh focuses on the structural and legal levels: ‘There is a multiplicity of supervisory bodies in civil society organisations in Jordan - and an absence of a body responsible for community organisations. Their decision making is not transparent nor being supervised.’ For transparency, Jordan introduced a law in 2007 that guarantees access to information. Still, the legal framework is not sufficient: ‘There are many loopholes,’ she says. Favouritism also creates ‘a feeling of insecurity and unequal opportunity.’
Sanaa Al Awamleh believes that a coherent Jordan with national integrity can only be achieved if the public sector, the private sector and citizens join forces.‘We are fully aware that the process of changing a behaviour requires a long period,’ she concedes. What motivates her to keep going nonetheless? ‘What drives me to advocate for a rational framework is my love and passion for development of Jordanian society. And my parents gave me the confidence to do anything.’
The zivik Funding Programme supports civil society actors worldwide in preventing crises, transforming conflicts, and creating as well as stabilising peaceful social and political systems. With their commitment, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) complement state actors by providing significant perspectives and activities. The zivik Funding Programme is providing funding for international, national or local NGO projects, which are dealing with civil conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts.
