From various parts of the Kingdom, six women who have made a difference in their communities, by breaking through into professions and positions traditionally the domain of men, were on hand to address 400 activists, and government and NGO representatives who gathered at the Greater Amman Municipality.

Maha Barghouti, the first athlete to win a gold medal for Jordan in the Paralympics, spoke of what motivated her drive to achieve. "My aim was to eliminate the shame and disgrace some families felt towards their disabled children," said Barghouti, who won the medal for table tennis. "That is why I worked so hard, to tell everyone that disabled persons are as capable and determined as everyone else in our society," said Barghouti.

Another speaker was Professor Rowaidah Maaytah, the first female public university vice president and the first female dean as well. She spent sleepless nights working her way up and founded a nursing school that put Jordan on the medical map. "I took advantage of my university posts to promote Jordan by establishing a nursing school at the University of Science and Technology that later earned recognition and respect by international universities abroad," she told the gathering.

Other women who spoke on Saturday included Nermeen Harbi Yaqoub, a cardiologist, and Halima Abu Joudeh, who received funding by the European Union for a development project in a refugee camp in Madaba.

Miyassar Saadi and Koukab Ghanameen were also featured speakers. Saadi was honoured by the United Nations Development Programme in 1998 for fighting poverty, and Ghanameen has received international recognition for setting up a community development centre in Shobak.

"Let us see this day as a celebration of the magnitude of women's potential," said HRH Princess Basma, who acted as patron of the event. "It is a time to realise that women's issues are no longer marginal", she added.

The event was concluded by an exhibition on "Businesswomen and Women Entrepreneurs" and an art exhibition by women entrepreneurs.