Members of the Jordan National NGO forum (JONAF) participated in reviewing JONAF’S governance framework and future steps, represented in determining its structure and membership criteria, increasing the number of members, continuing to implement the objectives of the alliance, as well as ensuring the active participation of all members and exchanging information among them, diagnosing priority strategic issues, promoting the localization of humanitarian and development work, and representing members before external strategic partners and international organizations.
This came during a workshop held by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and JONAF, on Sunday, November 24, 2024, 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. The project aims to develop a robust governance structure and standard operating procedures to institutionalize JONAF, as well as strengthening the localization of Jordan's livelihoods sector through a multi-faceted approach focused on building the capacity of the local civil society.
Lina Halasa, Project Manager at ARDD, stressed the need to institutionalize collective efforts by strengthening JONAF's governance structure and institutional capacities to strengthen its capacity to lead the implementation of a local humanitarian agenda in the field of aid delivery, strengthen dialogue with local and international stakeholders, increase efficiency, and enhance accountability to ensure aid and development efforts are better designed to meet the needs of local communities.
Regarding the governance framework of the alliance, Eng. Zainab Al-Khalil, Program Manager at ARDD and coordinator of JONAF, explained that the alliance was established in 2016 with the aim to activate the localization and decentralization of humanitarian and development work, as well as emphasizing the role of women as an active element in security and peace, indicating that local associations are the most able to touch upon the needs of their communities, apply humanitarian standards, and reach out to beneficiaries such as the elderly and persons with disabilities, which was evident during the preparedness and response plans for seasonal, emergency, or crisis assistance.
Al-Khalil pointed out that the coalition currently includes about 50 organizations covering the central, northern, and southern regions of Jordan, including a variety of civil society groups, community-based organizations, and founding partners. Membership criteria have been developed to ensure that each organization understands its roles and responsibilities within the Alliance.
She also explains that the expansion of JONAF’S membership and its organizational structure reflects a commitment to inclusiveness and sustainable community participation, which contributes to the promotion of peace, security, and development in Jordan, stressing the importance of adopting a participatory approach that ensures that the voices of all members are heard, and which enhances their role in formulating governance in a way that reflects their needs and ensures that the governance emanates from them, especially as this approach supports the development of a fair and inclusive organizational structure that addresses local challenges more effectively.
For her part, Iman Abu Qaoud, Network Officer at ARDD, stressed the importance of focusing on the Alliance’s presence in all governorates, holding activities in them, and creating motivation to support and sustain political, civil, and economic participation projects, while increasing JONAF’s participation in international and local coordination platforms.
Meanwhile, extensive discussions took place among the members of the alliance, during which they stressed the role of JONAF in the emergency response plan for seasonal or emergency crises, as well as ARDD’s support for their participation in the implementation of UN Resolution No. 1325 to address the humanitarian impact during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the need to enhance the knowledge of local organizations in the fields of advocacy and strategy building, and support initiatives that improve the livelihoods of local communities, especially those serving women and families from refugee communities, as well as encouraging and sustaining small and medium income-generating enterprises, leading up to the need to give civil society organizations an active role in policy-making.
