Amman, May 11 marks the 75th birthday of Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal, a milestone that reflects a lifetime dedicated to advancing human development and empowering individuals and communities across Jordan.
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In recognition of her enduring contributions, Princess Basma was awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal in 2025 and the Order of the State Centennial in 2024 by His Majesty King Abdullah II.
Princess Basma has chaired the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Development (Johud), since its establishment by Royal Decree in 1977. Under Princess Basma’s leadership, this pioneering national institution continues to play a central role in shaping community-based development in Jordan. Through a model grounded in participation, strategic planning, and institutional capacity-building, Johud works to enable communities to identify their priorities and actively engage in their own development processes.
At the heart of Johud’s work is a nationwide network of Community Development Centres (CDCs), which serve as local platforms for engagement, learning, and action. These centres track social and economic trends, identify local needs, and generate data that supports evidence-based decision-making. This approach has enabled Johud to deliver sustainable and locally rooted development outcomes.
Since 1991, Johud’s Goodwill Campaign has provided vital support to vulnerable families through partnerships with banks, healthcare providers, academic institutions, private sector companies, and civil society organisations. The campaign has facilitated a wide range of interventions, including livelihoods support, medical care, safe housing, university scholarships, and in-kind assistance – reaching thousands of families each year.
Advancing the role of women in society has been a central pillar of Princess Basma’s work. Her efforts have focused on strengthening women’s participation in public life, increasing their representation in decision-making spaces, and enhancing their economic empowerment.
In 1992, under her leadership, the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) was established and has since become a key national institution driving gender-responsive policy and advocacy. Complementing this role, the Jordanian National Forum for Women, founded in 1995, mobilises women across all governorates, ensuring that national priorities are informed by grassroots realities.
Princess Basma has also been closely engaged in advancing population and development agendas through her work with the Higher Population Council, supporting the integration of demographic considerations into sustainable development planning.
Her longstanding commitment to children and youth is reflected in her founding of the Jordanian Save the Children Fund in 1974, dedicated to protecting children’s rights and supporting their development. In 2017 the organization was merged with Save the Children International’s country office establishing a stronger and unified presence for Save the Children Jordan.
She also serves as Patron of Mabarrat Um Al Hussein, which provides care for orphaned and vulnerable children, and leads the Jordanian Association of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, promoting values of volunteerism, leadership, and community service among young people.
Internationally, Princess Basma continues to play an influential role as Honorary Human Development Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and as a member of the Advisory Board for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Princess Basma is married to Walid Kurdi and is the mother of four children – Farah (Johud’s Executive Director), Ghazi, Saad, and Zein Al Sharaf – and the grandmother of ten: Fatima Al Zahra, Zein Al Sharaf, Abdulaziz, Aysha, Iman, Basma, Haya, Raya, Alia, and Jad.
