AMMAN, Jordan - A new gender equality campaign to inform women of their legal rights has been launched in Jordan by the General Federation of Jordanian Women. The National Legal Awareness Campaign is one of five initiatives chosen out of 65 projects in line with the UNESCO-Sony Ericsson WTA Tour partnership to promote gender equality and women's leadership across society.

Targeting women across all of Jordan, but mainly in rural areas, the initiative will see the distribution of several publications containing legal information on women's rights to relevant non-government organizations. The project continues efforts inititated by several local women's groups across Jordan.

"The campaign will consist of 20 workshops on legislation concerning women and informative sessions on their legal rights as well as the importance of women's participation in political life," according to General Federation of Jordanian Women President Nuha Maaytah.

At the campaign's recent launching ceremony, attended by Jordan's Princess Basma Bnt Talal, UNESCO Educational Program Specialist Robert Paura touched on the vitality of political participation for gender equality: "Until women are represented at leadership and decision making levels, and until they benefit from equal rights and treatment in all spheres of public life... we cannot claim that women are full and equal citizens."

UNESCO and the Tour announced their landmark global partnership in November of 2006. Drawing on the history of the Tour and players in fighting for equality, the partnership marked a new level of commitment by the Tour and players to fight for gender equality and advance opportunities across the globe for women. Since the beginning of the partnership, Venus Williams has been the UNESCO Promoter of Gender Equality. In November of 2008, Tour founder Billie Jean King was named as Global Mentor for Gender Equality.