Tomorrow marks the birthday of HRH Princess Basma bint Talal, a long-standing advocate of women and children’s rights, and a pioneer of sustainable human development in the Arab region. Princess Basma established and chairs the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), a non-profit NGO established in 1977. Today, JOHUD represents a unique, participatory model that relies on a nationwide network of 51 locally-managed community centers, supported by a number of specialized institutions. Princess Basma’s vision of community governance and participation remains a cornerstone of JOHUD’s work and future thinking, reflected in the organization’s increasingly decentralized approach and high degree of local involvement. As stated by Princess Basma at the Global Land Forum last year, “the notion of participation, of the absolute importance of listening to individuals and communities, is crystal clear. Societies, governments and service providers, international donors, the private sector, and civil society cannot have a lasting, meaningful impact, unless they are truly responsive and reflective of the needs and opinions of the stakeholders and shareholders that they profess to uphold.” In May 2022 Princess Basma was bestowed the Order of the State Centennial by His Majesty King Abdullah for services and contributions to the advancement and progress of the nation. As a member of the Advisory Board of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global movement working to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide, Princess Basma has also been advocating increasingly for environmental sustainability, and for JOHUD’s widespread networks to become a platform for environmental activism. National initiatives launched and directed by Princess Basma include the Goodwill Campaign (est.1991), which every year reaches thousands of families living in need, and the Queen Alia Competition for Social Responsibility, which for decades has raised social awareness amongst generations of Jordan’s school children. Princess Basma has chaired the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), since its establishment in 1992. The JNCW is the highest official entity responsible for addressing women and gender-related issues, with a focus on legislative and policy reform. The Princess is an Honorary Human Development Ambassador for UNDP and Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women and the UNFPA. She holds a Doctorate degree in development from Oxford University. Princess Basma is married to Walid Kurdi and has four children; Farah (JOHUD’s Executive Director), Ghazi, Saad and Zein Al Sharaf, and eight grandchildren: Fatima Al Zahra, Zein Al Sharaf, Abdulaziz, Aysha, Iman, Basma, Haya and Alia.
Source: Jordan News Agency