Within the framework of strengthening the advocacy capacities of the members of the Jordan National NGO Forum (JONAF) and enabling them to represent and respond to the needs of society more effectively, JONAF and the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) held a workshop to strengthen the advocacy capacities of local associations in JONAF on 26 September 2024. 

The workshop, which comes within the framework of the project "Future Forward: Unlocking Sustainable Local Opportunities", funded by the European Regional Development and Protection Programme to support Jordan and Lebanon, sought to support the strategic role of JONAF as an advocacy platform for developing the capacities of associations, enhancing cooperation and expertise among its members, as well as empowering national civil society organizations, as JONAF, in cooperation with ARDD, have held several specialized workshop for local associations in this context. 

To ensure the localization of the livelihoods sector in Jordan through a multi-faceted approach focused on strengthening the capacities of local civil society, nine member associations of JONAF, which was established in 2016, participated in the workshop, namely: "Al-Amal for Women's Social Development, Durrat Al-Manal Development and Training Company, the Jordanian National Forum for Women's Committees, Child Care Charity, Step of Hope Charity, Al-Rafid Women’s Agricultural society, Women of the Disi Basin Villages, Partners for Good, and the Young Women Christian Association." 

For her part, Dr. Sana Jelassi, Advisor for Women and Youth Programs at ARDD’s Strategic Renaissance Center, explained that these joint efforts aim to strengthen the capacity of civil society, as well as contributing to effectively meeting the needs of the local community and making it more prepared to respond to challenges, and achieving a tangible impact at the level of the communities it serves, in addition to taking part in policymaking to achieve a sustainable impact in the areas of development and social change. 

In turn, the participating members stressed the need to enhance the knowledge of local organizations in the areas of advocacy and strategy-building, support initiatives that improve the livelihoods of local communities, especially those serving women and families in refugee communities, as well as encouraging income-generating projects and sustainability, and encouraging small and medium enterprises through special facilities in the first five years. These recommendations correspond to JONAF’s vision of enhancing local humanitarian action and giving civil society organizations an active role in policymaking.