On Tuesday, the Director of the Studies and Policies Unit at “HPC”, Ali Al-Mutlaq presented a lecture to the undergraduate students in the geography department at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University on the demographic opportunity in Jordan and its policies thereto; as part of the first symposium on Geography organized by the University

 Al-Mutlaq over viewed the concept of demographic opportunity and the policies related to its realization and investment, Jordan demography, demographic and socio-economic indicators at the national level, population issues with priority to the community as well as information on refugee and migration in Jordan and the influence thereto on realizing the opportunity.

Among the most prominent challenges facing population issues in Jordan were the high rates of population in the youth age groups at rates exceeding economic growth rates, which lead to a decline in the chances for obtaining future employment opportunities. In addition to the low economic participation of women despite the their high level of education, the weak environment of services for sexual and reproductive health for youth and persons with disabilities and the increase in the females marriage under the age of 18 years.

Al Mutlaq stressed the importance of considering the demographic dimension in the plans of all institutions and winning the support of policy makers, decision-makers and national and local leaders for the policies of the demographic opportunity in line with the target groups and policy objectives. He further explained that confronting population issues is not limited to the government sector only, as it also covers non-governmental and private sectors.

During the lecture as well, the students’ enquiries on relevant subjects were answered.