Gender equality in Jordan: а quantitative analysis of Jordanians’ attitudes

Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is the fifth goal of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to UN Women, gender inequality index in Jordan is 47.1%[*], which means that Jordan is still only at less than halfway towards achieving full gender equality. Despite the domestic and international investment to promote gender equality in Jordan and empower women, there are still gender gaps in all spheres at all levels according to the department of general statistics. Such indicators may indicate that Jordanian citizens have reservations about achieving gender equality. The objective of this quantitative research is to: explore Jordanians’ attitudes towards gender equality in Jordan, investigate the role of religion, education, and gender in shaping these attitudes. This study assumes that some factors, such as gender, religion, and level of education affect Jordanians’ perceptions of gender equality in Jordan. The study utilized the 2021-2022 Arab Barometer dataset based on a poll of public opinion on several topics, including norms and gender-recognized orientations. The study found that Jordanian males were less supportive of gender equality than the females, and that education had a positive role in increasing gender equality attitudes. On the other hand, the results of this quantitative study showed that religiosity had no significant effect on people’s attitudes toward gender equality. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that efforts to promote gender equality in Jordan focus on increasing education and awareness.

_{[*] Country Snapshot. UN Women Data Hub. URL: https://data.unwomen.org/arab-states/country/jordan (accessed: 16.03.2025).}