Arab states link arms to elevate gender justice through shared experience

AMMAN — The Higher Population Council (HPC) participated in the launch of the regional report “Gender Justice and Equality Before the Law in the Arab States Region: A Regional Analysis of Progress and Challenges”, on Tuesday, according to the HPC. 

The launch aimed to provide a space for the exchange of experience between different countries to consider the process of developing comprehensive laws on domestic violence and ways to build on the experiences of Arab countries that have passed domestic violence legislation, as well as to exchange information on ongoing efforts. Many countries in the region “have made progress in this regard”, including Jordan, an HPC statement noted.

Secretary General of the HPC Abla Amawi stressed during the workshop the importance of confronting domestic violence in society, referring to the lessons learned during the process of  creating the Family Violence Protection Law 2017 legislation, the “most prominent of which” was international support and mechanisms for propelling the law-making process, according to the statement. 

Amawi said that the most prominent principle underlying the law is a rights-based response, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable, developing control mechanisms, taking into account the different needs of women's groups who are subjected to violence and giving priority to the victim.

She clarified the practical steps in the enactment and legislation of the law of protection against domestic violence and the contribution of the HPC in this field, confirming that the key challenges in this sphere are economic and gender inequality, a lack of funding for women seeking justice and psychological and social support, as well as the need for ongoing training of security personnel and social service providers in the Family Protection Unit, the statement said.

The regional report is part of the Gender Justice Initiative, created in partnership with the UNFPA Regional Bureau for Arab States, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States and the United Nations Regional Office for Women in Arab States. 

This partnership aims to analyse legal systems throughout the Arab countries region in reference to international standards that allow women's protection and equality. The report is based on 18 country reports launched in December 2018, the statement concluded.