This report provides an evidence-based assessment intervention enhancing women’s leadership and civic engagement in the governorate of Karak that can contribute to enhance women’s meaningful political participation at the governorate and municipality level.

The research sheds light into the contours of women’s political participation in Karak that goes beyond formal politics. Our work shows that there is a solid base of active and engaged women in community-based organizations (CBOs) who are deeply engaged in everyday politics, working to make a difference within their communities. In many cases they are starting on where formal politics stops on simply cannot address precisely because they are community based. The sort of activities that these women are participating in encourages the idea that what they are doing is not just charitable work but a demonstration of their political participation. Our findings support theoretical notions that consider civic engagement as a form of political participation, where the formal space of politics is compromised by structural deficiencies.