Karak, Jordan – 27 October 2025 – UNFPA in Jordan, in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and with the generous support of the Government of Japan, held an event at Ghor Al Mazraa Comprehensive Health Centre in Karak Governorate to launch the Japan-funded project “Integrated Life-Saving SRH and GBV Services for Vulnerable Women and Girls in Underserved Southern Areas of Jordan” and to mark the successful completion of the previous humanitarian project funded by Japan.

This event highlighted Japan’s steadfast support to Jordan’s national health priorities and UNFPA’s continued efforts to strengthen Women-Friendly Health Centers (WFHCs) as a national model for quality, dignity-based, and rights-centered sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) services.

Since its inception, the WFHC programme has expanded to 108 centers across the Kingdom, including 94 centers operated by the Ministry of Health, implemented under a strong national partnership with MoH, the National Woman’s Health Care Center (NWHCC), and the Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC). This partnership represents a national model for collaboration in advancing quality, rights-based, and gender-responsive healthcare. The WFHC programme stands as a cornerstone in Jordan’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and is fully aligned with the Economic Modernization Vision (2023–2033), which aims to ensure equitable, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare services for all women and girls across the Kingdom.

Through Japan’s generous contribution, UNFPA and MoH are supporting the institutionalization of the WFHC standards within the national health system to ensure sustainability and full national ownership. Plans are underway to include all primary healthcare centers under the WFHC framework in the coming years.

Dr. Raed Al-Shboul, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health for Primary Health Care and Epidemics, emphasized that “the Women-Friendly Health Centers programme has become a national pillar in Jordan’s health transformation journey, integrating respect, quality, and equality into every level of care. The Ministry remains committed to embedding these standards within all public health centers.”

In turn, UNFPA Representative in Jordan Mr. Himyar Abdulmoghni stated that “UNFPA is proud to partner with the Ministry of Health and the Government of Japan in transforming women’s healthcare from a service to a right, and from a pilot initiative to a sustainable national system that ensures dignity and quality for every woman and girl in Jordan.”

For his part, H.E. Ambassador ASARI commented saying: “By ensuring that women and girls have access to dignified, rights-based, and survivor-centered care, through integrating SRH and GBV response within a unified, nationally-endorsed framework, this project exemplifies Japan’s global commitment to human security, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.”

The event reaffirmed the shared commitment of Japan, Jordan, and UNFPA to advancing women’s health, empowerment, and dignity — making quality healthcare an essential part of every woman’s life across the Kingdom.