Preparing women for management in textiles
Women play an important role in the textile and clothing industry. The International Trade Centre (ITC) conducts training to engage women’s empowerment initiatives.
Women make up most of the work force in the clothing industry. But like in other businesses, women don’t get many jobs in management.
“Women’s integration into clothing factories has played a crucial role,” said Hana Al Zoubi, a management consultant at Agile Consulting in Amman. She’s been working for two years with textile companies to adapt and implement lean management.
“The demand for women in industries is increasing as women show their dedication and capabilities across sectors. Meanwhile, there are still some misogynistic behaviours in the industry where women are only able to access the lowest-paid jobs with poor prospects for promotion and low work security,” Al Zoubi said.
MENATEX women’s empowerment training
The MENATEX project has conducted training in Jordan, empowering women workers to assume supervisory roles.
The project is committed to promoting the participation of women in business and providing opportunities for women workers in the clothing industry to develop their supervisory knowledge and soft skills, such as time management and communication, allowing women to progress in their careers and get ready to lead a team with good practices.
“It was an amazing experience. It elevated my knowledge of lean management and manufacturing in the textile and clothing industry,” Al Zoubi said after participating in the training.
“I was excited to see what significant roles women are playing in the industry.”
And she’s working with other women to actively participate in the Jordanian apparel industry
“Never underestimate yourself, don’t be afraid to apply for higher positions.”
To get more women as managers and supervisors, “it is important to encourage them to pursue opportunities at every level of the corporate ladder,” says Hana.
She emphasised the need to address “discrepancies between pay rates of men and women and ensure that all employees with equivalent experience in similar roles are paid the same as their counterparts, no matter what an employee’s gender or race is.”
About the GTEX/MENATEX Programme
The Middle East and North Africa Textile and Clothing Programme (MENATEX) covers four countries in the MENA region: Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. The International Trade Centre, with support from the Swedish Government, implements the programme.