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Improved Gender- Responsive Public Transport for All in the Mashreq

June 7, 2022

Amman, Jordan

Improved Gender-Sensitive Public Transport for All in the Mashreq

The World Bank is organizing a workshop on Improved Gender-Responsive Public Transport for All in the Mashreq on June 7, 2022.

The workshop will bring together representatives from the public sector, private sector, academia civil society organizations, etc.

The workshop will be held in Amman. Jordan with virtual connections for participants from Iraq and Lebanon.

Simultaneous interpretation (English/Arabic) will be available.

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  • Mobility in Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq is on the rise, partly due to growing populations and large influx of refugees. The increase in mobility demand has not been met with the corresponding development in public transport infrastructure, and existing public transport services in these countries often lack safety, accessibility, or affordability.  As a result, residents of the Mashreq countries rely heavily on private vehicles which put high pressure on transport infrastructure. This, in turn, results in increased traffic congestion, negative impacts on the environment and on public health, and negative economic impacts related to high transport expenditure per household hindering access to services and opportunities, particularly for girls and women.

    In March 2021, the World Bank launched the Mashreq Public Transport Diagnostic to support Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq in identifying and addressing key constraints to public transport challenges. The Diagnostic presents key challenges and emerging opportunities for the development of a smart, green, inclusive, safe, reliable, and sustainable public transport system in each of these countries and proposes key policies, regulatory and institutional reforms, and high priority investment projects to achieve this objective.

    Workshop Objectives

    The main objective of the Improved Gender-Sensitive Public Transport for All in the Mashreq workshop is to present and discuss the findings and recommendations of the Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq public transport diagnostics, with a particular focus on gender considerations in public transport. The workshop will highlight the main challenges related to public transport in Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq and the opportunities to enhance the public transport systems in each country, building on international experience and lessons learned, and focusing on gender in public transport. 

    The workshop will also feature the launch of the Jordan Public Transport Diagnostic and Recommendations report which will be followed by a discussion of the report findings and recommendations.

  • 10.00 am - 10.05 am

    Opening Remarks

     

    -    Saroj Kumar Jha, Regional Director of the Mashreq Department, World Bank

    10.05 am - 10.20 am

    Introduction. The Way Forward for Public Transport in Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq

     

    -    H.E. Wajih Azaizeh, Minister of Transport, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

    -    H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh, Minister of Public Works and Transport, Republic of Lebanon

    -    H.E Hazim Radhi Lafta, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport, Republic of Iraq

    10.20 am - 11.00 am

    Session 1. Findings of the Mashreq Public Transport Diagnostic

     

    -    Mira Morad, Senior Transport Specialist, World Bank

    -    Moayad Abu Fardeh, General Manager, Comprehensive Multi-Transportation Company

    -    Elena Haddad, Co-Founder, The Chain Effect

    -    Eng. Kareem Bremani, General Director of Urban Transport, Ministry of Transport, Republic of Iraq

    11.15 am - 11.30 am

    Session 2. Global Experience in Reforming Public Transport

     

    -    Riccardo Puliti, Global Infrastructure Vice President, World Bank

    -    Óscar Edmundo Díaz, Public Transport Expert, World Bank

    11.45 am - 12.30 pm

    Session 3. Gender and Public Transport

     

    -    H.E. Lina Shbeeb, Former Minister of Transport and advisor to the Amman BRT committee

    -    Claudine Aoun Roukoz, President, National Commission for Lebanese Women

    -    Dr. Yossra Salim Mohsin, General Director of Gender, Prime Minister Office, Republic of Iraq

    Moderated by Nour Al Moghrabi, Gender Specialist, World Bank

    12.45 pm - 1.30 pm

    LUNCH

    1.30 pm - 2.25 pm

    Session 4. Discussion on Jordan Public Transport Diagnostic

     

    -    H.E. Yousef Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

    -    Enrique Peñalosa, Former Mayor of Bogota

    -    H.E. Dr. Salma Nims, Secretary General, Jordan National Commission for Women

    -    Linda Kalash, President, Tamkeen

     

    Moderated by Bashar Rihani, Director of Transport, Dar Al Handasah Consultants, representing Jordan Strategy Forum

    2.25 pm - 2.30 pm

    Closing Remarks

     

    Last Updated: Jun 06, 2022

  • Saroj Kumar Jha

    Regional Director of the Mashreq Department, World Bank

    Saroj Kumar Jha is the Regional Director of the Mashreq Department (Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Iran) at the World Bank Group, a position he assumed on July 1, 2017. Jha brings to the region vast experience in a critical period of transition. Before this, he was Senior Director for the Fragility, Conflict, and Violence Global Practice at the World Bank Group since February 2016. He provided strategic leadership addressing the challenges of fragility, conflict, and violence, working across the World Bank Group, and in close collaboration with its partners. From February 2012 until January 2016, he was the World Bank’s Regional Director for Central Asia based in Almaty, where he led the Bank’s strategic engagements in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in the cooperative management of water and energy, and regional action on climate adaptation and mitigation. He has also worked as the Bank’s Global Manager for the Disaster Risk Management Practice and served as Head of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), which he founded in 2006. GFDRR is now the world’s largest global fund for disaster prevention and post-disaster recovery operations. Mr. Jha is an Indian national. He joined the World Bank in 2005 as a Senior Infrastructure Specialist in the Sustainable Development Network, after working for the Government of India (1990-2005) and United Nations agencies (1999-2004) as a senior executive in the field of public sector management, infrastructure financing, natural resource management, natural disaster prevention, and environmental sustainability.

    H.E. Wajih Azaizeb

    Minister of Transport, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

    H.E. Wajih Azaizeb was born in Irbid in 1955. He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering of the University of Aleppo, in Syria (1979) and is currently the Minister of Transport of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Previously, H.E. Wajih Azaizeb has been Minister of Social Development (2012-2013 and 2017). He has been or is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, a member of the Committee for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, a Jordan Commissioner at the Jordanian-Palestinian Joint Committee, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Government Contributions Directorate – Ministry of Finance, a member of the Refugees, Displaced Persons and Forced Migration Studies Center at Yarmouk University, the Director of the Execution unit of the Prince Hamzah Hospital / Ministry of Public Works and Housing, and the Director General of the Palestinian Affairs Directorate. In 2007, H.E. Wajih Azaizeb was awarded the Independence Medal, First Class.

    H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh

    Minister of Public Works and Transport, Republic of Lebanon

    H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh had 20+ years of experience in the Telecom and Higher Education sectors: he is a Telecom Expert, Cybersecurity Strategist, Quality Assurance Specialist, Higher Education Consultant, Professor and Researcher at the Lebanese University, with a PhD and HDR in Telecom/Electronics/Optical Communications. H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh is also member of several local, regional, and international councils and committees. H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh is a researcher and supervisor of 10 doctoral theses, focusing on the multi-use of SOA as intensity modulator of the wireless and telecommunication standards. He has published a patent in an accident reporting system and has 68 publications in specialized refereed international periodicals and refereed international conferences. He is a reviewer at several refereed journals and conferences and an examiner in PhD and master’s committees in several countries. H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh is also a reviewer of the legislation and policies, infrastructure, services, Human Resources, private sector investments, research, development and innovation, and all matters related to the Telecom and Information Technology sector in Lebanon (including Mobile Operators, Landline, and Post). He has conducted studies on various implemented projects during the last 10 years on technical and financial levels. H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh is also a reviewer of the legislation and policies, infrastructure, services, Human Resources, private sector investments, research, development and innovation, and all matters related to the Telecom and Information Technology sector in Lebanon (including Mobile Operators, Landline, and Post). He has conducted studies on various implemented projects during the last 10 years on technical and financial levels. H.E. Ali Aqeed Hamiyeh has participated in more than 85 local and international pedagogical meetings, seminars, workshops, and conferences revolving around innovation and entrepreneurship and ecosystem, distance learning, standards and guidelines for quality assurance, accreditation, business model of universities, pedagogical innovation, competency-based approach, key performance indicators, governance in higher education, mobility, and links University.

    H.E. Hazim Radhi Laft

    Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport, Republic of Iraq

    H.E. Hazim Radhi Laft is the Deputy Minister of Transport, Republic of Iraq. Previously, he served as an advisor for the Iraqi Parliament. H.E. majored in Law and has over 25 years’ experience in the field of administrative matters and public service.

    Mira Morad

    Transport Specialist, World Bank

    Mira Morad is a Senior Transport Specialist at the World Bank based in Beirut, Lebanon, and working for the Mashreq region. She mainly focuses on Lebanon and Jordan, working on an array of transport projects and technical assistances including public transport, economic corridors, roads rehabilitation, asset management and others, with a focus on private capital mobilization and Public-Private Partnerships. Mira has over 10 years’ experience in the transport sector, working for the Middle East Region, East Europe, and Central Asia. Prior to joining the World Bank, Mira was working for a private sector engineering company based in Paris, as a country manager for Kazakhstan. Mira holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters’ degree in International Projects Management from the French business school École Supérieur de Commerce de Paris, and she is a certified Projects Management Professional from the Project Management Institute. Moayad Abu Fardeh, General Manager, Comprehensive Multi-Transportation Company Moayad Ayed Mahmoud Abu Fardeh holds a Master’s degree in Financial Management of The Arab academy for Banking and Financial Services in Amman; Jordan, an Honorary Doctorate in Financial Management of the University of Oxford, Ireland; and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting Sciences of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Finance, Isra University, Amman, Jordan. Moayad is currently the Assistant Executive Chairman at the Jordanian and Turkish for Public Bus Management and Operation Company, as well as the General Manager of the Comprehensive Multiple Transport Company (CMTC) and its subsidiaries. Previously, he was Deputy General Manager of the CMTC and Finance Manager of Al Dhilal Passengers Transportation Company. Among Moayad’s most recent achievements, he has worked on restructuring all public transport routes operated by the CMTC outside Amman and hand-in-hand with the Land Transport Regulatory Commission and within Amman in coordination with the Greater Amman Municipality. Moayad aspires to be an influential member of the Jordanian community where he can deploy his experience and national passion towards serving people, elevating public facilities and attaining better life standards. He is married and has four children.

    Elena Haddad

    Co-Founder, The Chain Effect

    Elena Haddad is one of the founders of The Chain Effect, an organization that promotes soft mobility in Lebanon through public interventions, community projects and city planning. She focuses on growing the initiative’s reach through new partnerships, driving research and project development as well as engaging with key stakeholders at different levels – local, municipal, national and international. Currently working in tech to accelerate the energy transition to renewables through digital strategies, she has a background in engineering with experience in international development, sustainability, climate change policy, and emergency relief situations. Elena earned an MEng in Environmental Engineering from University College London and an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge.

    Riccardo Puliti

    Global Infrastructure Vice President, World Bank

    Riccardo Puliti, an Italian national, is the Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank as of August 16, 2021. In this position, he leads the Bank's global efforts to build effective infrastructure in developing and emerging markets and supports the World Bank Group’s strategic business priorities such as the climate change action plan. He oversees the Bank's critical work across energy and transport sectors, digital development, and efforts to provide access to renewable energy and low-carbon transportation and quality infrastructure services to communities through public-private partnerships. Infrastructure represents around USD 75 billion of the Bank’s portfolio. Prior to this appointment, Riccardo served as Regional Director, Infrastructure for Africa, covering 48 countries and overseeing and providing strategic direction for the largest infrastructure program in the World Bank while working with IFC and MIGA to develop the conditions for mobilizing private capital. Riccardo joined the World Bank Group as Senior Director of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice in November 2016 and led a team of professionals, developing policies and financing in the global energy and extractive industries. In July 2019, in addition to his role as Global Director, Riccardo assumed the position of Regional Director for Infrastructure in Africa. Riccardo brings to this post extensive thought leadership and deep experience and understanding of both public and private sectors as well as an exemplary track record of service to client countries. Throughout his career, Riccardo worked in the infrastructure domain across sectors from legal and regulatory frameworks, technological innovation, to corporate, and project finance. He started at Istituto Mobiliare Italiano and later worked at Banque Indosuez and NM Rothschild and Sons. Prior to joining the World Bank Group, Riccardo was the Managing Director in charge of Energy and Extractive Industries at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Riccardo has been a nominee or independent member of the board of energy and extractive as well as transport companies, including OMV Petrom, Interrao OJSC, Iberdrola Renovables Polska, and Ukraine International Airlines, and has represented the World Bank in many international forums. He holds an MBA from Instituto Superior de Estudios de la Empresa (IESE) and postgraduate studies at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and Imperial College.

    Óscar Edmundo Díaz

    Public Transport Expert, World Bank

    Óscar Edmundo, with 25 years of experience, has devoted his career to urban planning, transportation, and road safety. He is recognized for leading the planning and implementation of transport projects, including Bus Rapid Transit systems, e-mobility, and safe infrastructure for non-motorized transport (cycling and walking) in cities in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. This expertise is complemented with a solid financial knowledge to structure projects in major urban areas. After his post as a Special Advisor on Mobility to Enrique Peñalosa, Mayor of Bogota, Colombia between 2016 and 2019, Mr. Díaz has been doing consulting work for clients such as C40, ITDP, John Laing Investments, and the FIA Foundation. Since May 2021, he has been a Transport Consultant for the World Bank. As a Special Advisor on Mobility to Enrique Peñalosa, Mr. Díaz worked on the restructuring of TransMilenio BRT system operational model and renewal of its bus fleet. Specifically, he provided advice on the new business model, separating the procurement, and operation and maintenance contracts for a new fleet of over 2,700 low-emission and electric buses. Mr. Díaz was part of an extraordinarily complex negotiation aimed at the financial sustainability of the Public Transport Integrated System (10,000+ buses), which reached an agreement and materialized in a contract addendum between the government and the bus operators. He also advised the Mayor on the implementation of Vision Zero. This was the second time Mr. Díaz worked for the Mayor of Bogota. In Enrique Peñalosa’s first term (1998-2000), he conceptualized and implemented the Stockholm Award-winning Bogota’s Car Free Day, the world’s first city-wide Car Free Day, which ended up in a successful referendum that approved an annual car free day. He also assisted the Mayor in the creation of TransMilenio. Mr. Díaz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and International Affairs from Universidad Externado de Colombia, in Bogota, Colombia, and a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a focus on Finance and International Business from Columbia University, in New York, USA. He speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

    Nour Al Moghrabi

    Gender Specialist, World Bank

    Nour Al Moghrabi is a gender specialist at the World Bank, and is leading the implementation of the Mashreq Gender Facility in Jordan, which is a World Bank-IFC regional initiative that was launched in 2019, supporting economic transformation for women. Nour is an expert in women’s economic participation and has worked on this topic through partnering with public institutions, the private sector and civil society to address barriers hindering women’s economic inclusion such as legislative reforms, childcare services, access to finance, equity and safety in the workplace, and in public transportation. In 2009, after several years of working with the private sector in the US, Jordan and Dubai, Nour led approaches for facilitating women’s economic participation, through GIZ and USAID projects in Jordan and the MENA region, implementing interventions that help create an enabling environment for women workers and entrepreneurs, including establishment of career development centers at Jordanian universities, gender diversity management in the private sector, gender sensitive value chains in rural areas, enhancing financial inclusion, piloting female mentoring for university students, reviewing government gender-responsive budgeting, and initiating public dialog on women’s economic participation with outreach across local communities and NGO’s, schools and universities, instigating social dialog through film screenings and training a network of media professionals. She helped carry out assessments and in developing case studies on the tested approaches, several of which were identified as best practices and shared regionally, in the US and in Europe. As well, she co-authored several Training of Trainers manuals on successful approaches and delivered trainings for implementing partners in the government, private sector, academic institutions and civil society. Nour graduated from Ursinus College in Pennsylvania with a double major in Computer Science and International Relations. She completed her MBA from Lancaster University, where in her thesis, Nour investigated the role of flexible work and family friendly policies at the workplace in attracting, retaining and advancing female talents.

    Dr. Lina Shbeeb

    Former Minister of Transport and advisor to the Amman BRT committee

    Lina I. Shbeeb, Acting Dean of Basic and Social Science School, was born in Nablus, Palestine, in 1962. She received the BSc degree in civil engineering from the University of Jordan, Jordan, in 1985, and the MSc in traffic and highway engineering from the University of Jordan, Jordan, in 1993. She has a PhD degree in traffic planning and engineering from Lund University, Sweden (2000). In 2001, she joined the Department regional planning, Balqa Applied University as a Lecturer, and in 2004 she started working in the Engineering Technology Faculty, Balqa Applied University, where she was an Assistant Professor and the Head of the Civil Engineering Department in 2006/2007. In February 2010, she was appointed as the director of the Road Safety Center of Excellence at the German Jordanian University and served in the post for two years (2010-2011). In 2012, she joined the Al-Ahliyya Amman University and was appointed as the Dean of the Engineering Faculty for two academic years and became an Associate Professor in 2016. In 2018, she started her work at the School of Construction Technology and Built Environment / Al-Hussein Technical University. She is currently the Dean of Social and Basic Science. Her current research interests include human behavior in traffic, traffic safety, traffic analysis and operation, pavement management, public transport planning and operation, transportation economics, and intelligent transportation system and smart cities. Dr. Shbeeb is a Consultant in Transportation and Traffic Engineering at the Jordan Engineering Association, where she also heads the infrastructure committee and is a member of many other committees in the association, including the civil engineering conference organizing committee. She is an active member and board member in professional NGOs advocating traffic safety, scientific research, business and professional women, and environment protection. She is a senior traffic and transport engineer with over 36-years’ experience in the traffic and transportation engineering sectors during her service in the public sector as governmental employee and in the private sector as a consultant at national and international levels. In 2013, she was assigned as Minister of Transport in Jordan. She served in that post for two years and she headed four boards of transportation agencies. She is co-founder and the CEO of Enrich Business Consultant and its CEO.

    Mrs. Claudine Aoun Roukoz

    President, National Commission for Lebanese Women

    Ms. Claudine Aoun was appointed President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) in 2017, where she works on empowering Lebanese women, protecting their rights, and ensuring their effective participation in society. At NCLW, she initiated a considerable number of important actions and plans including the adoption by the Lebanese government of the National Action Plan for the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. She also sought to pass laws that ensure gender equality, including amending the labor law and the social security law to provide protection for women and incorporating a quota for women in the parliamentary and local elections to ensure a greater participation of women in political decision-making positions. Her work and advocacy are ongoing to adopt a law specifying 18 years as the minimum age for marriage, to amend the Human Trafficking Law and to vote the Nationality Law, which would give Lebanese women the same rights as men to transfer their nationality to their children. Thanks to her efforts, which were joined by local and international partners, an amendment to the law protecting women and other family members from domestic violence was passed, as well as a law criminalizing sexual harassment in the workplace and public places. In the framework of her activities within the NCLW, Ms. Aoun takes a comprehensive and holistic approach to women’s issues and seeks to adopt administrative reforms in order to promote the effectiveness of the commission’s work and ensure the continuity of its programs. Ms. Aoun is also a committed environmental activist, working on several important matters including the protection of the maritime flora and fauna, ensuring a safe route for migratory birds, and preserving the environment and ensuring its cleanliness. Mrs. Aoun holds a Master’s degree and a BA in Cinematographic and Audio-Visual Studies from the Sorbonne University in Paris, which has enabled her to take on a multi-layered career path. She is the founder and CEO of Clémentine SAL, a fast-growing communications agency that meets the needs of more than 100 companies and accounts in Lebanon and the Middle East and North Africa region. Her agency has also two branches in Armenia and Tunisia. She was as well a Forbes Lebanon 100 awardee in 2017.

    Dr. Yossra Salim Mohsin

    General Director of Gender, Prime Minister Office, Republic of Iraq

    Dr. Yossra Karim Mohsin is the Director General of the Iraqi Women's Empowerment Department at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers. Prior to her current position, Dr. Yossra served several assignments and accumulated extensive experience in the field of gender and human rights. She plays a pioneering role in improving women's economic and political participation in Iraq. She is the Supervisor of the Higher Committee for the Support of Women's Political Participation and the National Coordinator of Women Economic Empowerment Fund Project in Mashreq Countries for the Mashreq Initiative. Dr. Yossra is member of the Higher National Council of Women and the Coordinating Committee of the National Human Rights Plan. Besides her strong engagement in Iraq, Dr. Yossra is also very active on boards and committees of regional and international organizations. She is the representative of the Republic of Iraq to the Commission on the Status of Women, and she represented Iraq at the 8th session of the Ministerial Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for Women. From February 2021 to February 2022, Dr. Yossra chaired the Executive Council of the Arab Women Organization. Dr. Yossra holds a bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Baghdad and a master’s degree in International Studies from the College of Political Science, Al-Mustansiriya University. In 2015, Dr. Yossra was awarded a PhD in Political Science/International Studies from College of Political Science, Al-Nahrain University.

    Bashar Rihani

    Director of Transport, Dar Al Handasah Consultants – representing Jordan Strategy Forum

    Bashar Rihani has over 35 years of experience in the planning, design, and implementation of all modes of transport. During his career, he managed complex, large-scale projects including Dubai International Airport, Al Haramain High Speed Rail, Riyadh Metro, and Al Ghadeer Hyperloop (Abu Dhabi). Bashar also led global, multi-disciplinary teams on projects funded locally or by international agencies to deliver national and regional master plans including development of policies, organizational structures, privatization options, project definition, feasibility assessments, and multi-year budgeting. Assignments included the Euro-Med Transport Study, Al Maktoum International Airport, and Angola Transport Master Plan. Bashar holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from Imperial College and an MSE in Engineering and Management from North Carolina State University. He is a member of the Dar Group Board and Executive Committee, TYLIN Group Board (USA), and the International Road Federation Board (USA).

    H.E. Yousef Shawarbeh

    Mayor of Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

    H.E. Yousef Shawarbeh was reappointed as Mayor of Amman for second tenure on March 30, 2022. Prior to assuming his Mayoral post in August 2017, Mayor Al-Shawarbeh was the Chairman of Amman Municipal Committee (March 2017 – August 2017), Chairman of Addustour newspaper Board of Directors (2016), and Minister of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs (2016). Over 15 years, Mayor Al-Shawarbeh has held various positions on local Government and Municipal work, and the legal and legislative fields. From 2013 to 2016, he was the Deputy Mayor of Amman, Vice Chairman of the Investment Committee at the Greater Amman Municipality, a member of the Local Organizing Committee of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2016, Chairman of Tenders Committee at the Greater Amman Municipality, Vice Chairman of the Central Market Board of Directors at the Greater Amman Municipality, Deputy Chief of Directors of Al-Tawfiq for Transport & Investment Co. Ltd., Vice Chairman of Comprehensive Multiple Transport Company Board of Directors, Deputy Chief of Directors at Asia Transportation Company, and Vice Chairman of Integrated Cards Company (E -kartak) Board of Directors. In 2014, he was a member of the Decentralization Law Formulation Committee, a member of Human Rights National Plan Formulation Committee, and a member of Amman Sister Cities High Committee. He is a founding member of the Leadership Board of Mayors Migration Council. Mayor Al-Shawarbeh holds a PhD degree in constitutional law from Al-Neelain University in Sudan. He also holds a Bachelor degree in Law of Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Faculty of Law in Jordan.

    Enrique Peñalosa

    Former Mayor of Bogota

    Enrique Peñalosa is an innovative thinker and doer in the urban field, whose vision and work have profoundly improved his city of Bogota, Colombia, of which he was the Mayor in two separate terms. He has significantly influenced policies throughout the world. His advisory work concentrates on improving mobility, equity, public space and quality of life, and creating cities that are more propitious for happiness. He presents the organizational and leadership requirements to find new ideas and turn them into realities that improve people’s lives. Mr. Peñalosa has lectured internationally in numerous environmental, urban design and policy, and university forums and has advised governments in Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin America, and the United States. He is currently a consultant on Urban Vision, Strategy and Policy. His book, “City. Equity. Happiness” was published in Spanish at the end of 2021, and the English version will be published by the end of 2022. As the Mayor of Bogota, the capital of Colombia accounting for eight million inhabitants, Mr. Peñalosa profoundly transformed the city, turning it from one with no bearings nor self-esteem nor hope into an international model for improvements in quality of life, mobility, equity, and sustainability. Due to Mr. Peñalosa’s work, Bogota has been awarded important international recognitions such as the Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale or the Stockholm Challenge. Mr. Peñalosa holds a BA in Economics and History from Duke University, a Master’s degree in Government from the IIAP in Paris and a DESS in Public Administration from University of Paris II. He was also a Visiting Scholar at New York University for three years.

    H.E. Dr. Salma Nims

    Dr. Salma Nims was appointed Secretary-General (SG) of the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) in 2014. In her capacity as SG of JNCW, she has led the development of the National Strategy for Women in Jordan (2020-2025) in full alignment with the SDG2030 as well as the development of the National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security (JONAP1325). In 2019, Dr. Nims served as a member of the Advisory Group to the High-Level Task Force on Financing for Gender Equality for the United Nations. She has 20 years’ experience in the areas of gender and development and has been an activist for women rights since the early 1990s. Dr. Nims holds a PhD in Development Planning (2004) and a MSc in Sustainable Development (1998) from University College London, University of London. Since 2004, she provided professional development and gender consultancy services to several government and international organizations. Those included: the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education, UNDP, UNWomen, UNFPA, UNICEF, and CIDA. She was previously the Executive Director of “Taqaddam” Platform, a social movement aiming at building a positive discourse towards reform and change in Jordan. She sits on the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women Empowerment and co-chairs the “National Committee on Pay Equity” with the SG of the Ministry of Labor and the “Gender Partners Coordination Group” with the EU Ambassador to Jordan and UN Women Country Representative in Jordan. Dr. Nims is a member of the Board of Trustees for Plan International UK. She also serves on the boards of the Arab Women Organization, and the Higher Population Council, as well as several national strategic planning steering committees. She is active on social media, raising issues relating to social equity and human rights, with specific reference to women rights. In 2019, Dr. Nims received the Said Foundation Outstanding Achievement Prize, which is awarded to individuals judged to have contributed significantly to the development of the region.

    Linda Kalash

    President, Tamkeen

    Linda Al Kalash is the Founder and the Executive Director of Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights. The organisation, which was established in 2007, focuses on topics related to: labour rights and social protection, migration and combatting human trafficking. Throughout the years, Tamkeen has also implemented several projects that aimed at improving the working and living conditions of workers, regardless of their nationalities, in Jordan, and their access to social protection and legal aid services. Moreover, Tamkeen has developed various studies and reports on these issues, and has launched advocacy campaigns and participated in national, regional and international conferences and events that focus on labour issues, migrant workers and migration, legal aid and human trafficking. More recently, Tamkeen also established the Social Protection Observatory to monitor and assess issues related to social protection in Jordan, particularly in light of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to these efforts, Linda was named as a “Hero in the Fight against Modern Slavery” by the US Department of State. Additionally, on November 26, 2011, Tamkeen was chosen as one of five NGOs that won the prestigious French Republic Human Rights Prize and in 2020, Tamkeen was awarded the Thomson Reuters Stop Slavery Impact Award.

    H.E. Eng. Kareem Bremani

    General Director of Urban Transport, Ministry of Transport, Republic of Iraq

    H.E. Engineer Kareem is the Director General of the General Company for Passenger Transport in Iraq and is responsible for urban transport at the Ministry of Transport. Eng. Kareem has a strong expertise in the field of transport. He has held several leadership positions and contributed to the elaboration of multiple transport agreements between Iraq and neighboring countries. From 2004 to 2006, Eng. Kareem was the Director General of the State Company for Private Transport. For the period 2007–2008, he was appointed as Director General of the Dhelal Company for Passenger and Freight Transport. From 2008 to 2010, Eng. Kareem was assigned the role of Director General of the Iraqi Syrian Company for Land Transport. In 2020, Eng. Kareem was designated Vice President of the Arab Union for Land Transport (AULT). Eng. Kareem holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, and he has participated in several transport related trainings and conferences.

    Ibrahim Dajani

    Practice Manager for Transport, MENA Region, World Bank

    Ibrahim Dajani is the Practice Manager for the Middle East and North Africa (MNA) Transport unit, based in Jerusalem. Ibrahim holds a BSc and MSc in Civil Engineering with a focus on Transport and Environment from California State University Long Beach. Ibrahim joined the World Bank in 1999 as an Operations Analyst in Jerusalem’s office, working on MNA’s transport, municipal development, and solid waste management sectors. Ibrahim’s last assignment was Lead Infrastructure Specialist / Program Leader for Infrastructure for the Mashreq Countries.

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