DR ASMAHAN ALTAHER

Asmahan has worked in education and taken administrative positions as a Head of the Department of Management Information Systems, then Dean of Student Affairs at the University, and then Dean Faculty of Administrative and Financial Sciences. Based on her conviction of the necessity of continuing education, she participated in the Athena Mentoring, in order to accept more skills, and share knowledge with people from different parts of the world, further develop in the field of work, and meet sustainable development standards, which the programme focuses on.

“Women Need to Be Strong in Demanding Their Rights and Privileges”

Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings! 

I studied management at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. I got married when I was 22 years old. Then I completed my masters and doctorate. After some time of my marriage, I became a mother to four sons.

Writing was my first hobby, not my job. I was able to write four scientific books and a literary book entitled “Born Female,” and I used to publish a weekly article in the first official newspaper in Jordan.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

One of the biggest challenges I face in my society currently is that some people tried to put obstacles in my way and convince me that I was dreaming, but they could not differentiate between a dream and a goal.

Violent competition between women in the work environment and unfairness in evaluation.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

I can speak from two sides. 

At the work level, I have tried to focus on activities that add to my personal academic career, such as writing specialised articles and training courses. 

On a personal level, I had an issue related to wealth for me, from when my father died and I handled the situation alone according to the law.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you? 

For me, especially during this period, I found it very necessary to express myself more strongly when facing some difficult circumstances.

It strengthened the hope within me that I can do it and should not lose my passion and positive energy.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

Yes, I have many lessons that I have learned from difficult situations and experiences, which is that women need to be strong in demanding their rights and privileges.

Events sometimes force you to make choices that are not ideal but you can find your happiness in one way or another, to feel satisfied with yourself.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

If I want to choose a person who supports women and is an inspiring humanitarian assistant, I will choose Queen Rania Al Abdullah, the Jordanian Queen, who can be considered a wonderful role model as a human being and an inspiring woman.

Project: There are many projects that concern women and youth, but in my opinion there is a lack of coordination, cooperation and integration between them.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Women in my country face some obstacles and challenges in having a greater leadership role and participation in administrative and political positions, because it is a somewhat masculine society.

Many women are faced with obstacles so that they do not progress and their rights and privileges are sometimes diminished.

Q: Share with us a motto you live by. 

If you want to change the world, start with yourself first.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do? 

If I had capital, I would establish a consulting and training centre that works on education through training programmes specialising in human resources development and maybe I can extract new programmes from the sustainable development goals.