Missed Opportunities: How the IMF, World Bank and NGOs failed to support female entrepreneurs in Jordan Open Access

Abstract

 

In 1989, the Jordanian government implemented an International Monetary Fund (IMF) sponsored economic adjustment and austerity plan, and accepted a loan package from the World Bank in response to a growing debt crisis. In exchange for the loans, the government agreed to implement extensive fiscal and structural reforms; it cut food subsidies, reduced tariffs, privatized state-run businesses, and implemented tax reform. At the same time, in response to growing citizen unrest, the Kingdom increased political freedoms creating a path for increased NGO activity. This led to a large number of Jordanian NGOs offering business incubation, technical skills training, microfinance services, and mentorship to prospective female entrepreneurs. Through an examination of IMF and World Bank loan evaluation documents and an analysis of the websites, news articles, staff surveys and third-party observations of nine NGOs supporting female entrepreneurship initiatives, this thesis argues that the IMF, the World Bank, and Jordanian NGOs failed to support macroeconomic policies that favored women entrepreneurs in Jordan. As a country with few resources, a well educated population, high female unemployment rates, and low economic growth, Jordan could greatly benefit from supporting innovative female businesses; however, the IMF and World Bank did not consider women in their economic policy recommendations, while NGOs failed to provide adequate training services to educate their clients on the country’s macroeconomic environment. 

Table of Contents

Preface ..............................................................................1

Overview...........................................................................3

Section I: Introduction................................................4

Questions......................................................................... 7

Hypotheses.................................................................... 10

Definitions.......................................................................10

Background................................................................... 12

Part 1: History of Jordan ......................................... 12

Part 2: Literature Review ........................................ 19

Section II: Structural Adjustment .........................26

Part 1: Analysis of the Advent and Policies of Structural Adjustment................................................................26

Structural Adjustment............................................... 26

Critiques of Adjustment Lending ......................... 29

Comparison Cases: Structural Adjustment across the Middle East and North Africa.................................................................... 33

Summary ........................................................................ 36

Part 2: Analysis of World Bank and IMF Reports of Structural Adjustment Programs in Jordan .......................................................................................37

IMF Report .................................................................... 40

World Bank Report..................................................... 42

Analysis of the IMF and World Bank Reports ..... 44

Summary .......................................................................... 46

Section III: Jordanian Civil Society, Economic Development, and Female Entrepreneurship ....................................................................47

Part 1: Relationship Between Female Entrepreneurship, Economic Growth, and the Goals of Structural Adjustment.................................................47

Part 2: The emergence of Jordanian Civil Society....51

Part 3: Jordanian NGO Analysis...........................54

Methodology............................................................... 54

General Development Agencies: Development institutions that offer training and advising for female entrepreneurs............................................. 57

Technology Entrepreneurship Support Institutions .......... 60

Programs Supporting Business Creation Among Poor, semi-Urban and Rural Women.............................................................................................. 64

Microfinance Organizations..................................................... 68

Trends in NGO support to female entrepreneurs ............ 71

Summary ........................................................................................... 72

Section VI: Summary and Conclusion...................................73

Summary of IFI Policies in Jordan........................................ 73

Summary of NGO Activity in Jordan ....................................74

Comparison of IFI and NGO Activity and Policies in Jordan .......... 75

Conclusion ......................................................................................... 76

Figure 1: Summary of NGO Categorization .......................... 79

Figure 2: Summary of NGO Analysis ........................................80 

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Economics, History Business Administration, Entrepreneurship Middle Eastern Studies
Keyword	Economic Development Jordan International Monetary Fund Structural Adjustment World Bank Female Entrepreneurship
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Cornell, Rkia, Emory University
Committee Members	Hershatter, Andrea, Emory University Cherribi, Sam, Emory University

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