Cross-sectoral collaboration key in addressing gender-based violence cases in Jordan — JCC

AMMAN — The Jordanian Judicial Council (JCC) has stressed the importance of maintaining the current collaboration among government and local institutions when it comes to dealing with gender-based violence cases in the Kingdom.

“We will continue to focus on our work plan to strengthen the role of the specialised judicial branches that handle cases of domestic violence and juveniles,” JCC Secretary-General Ali Musaimi said.

It is of utmost importance to ensure such “vital services to minors and gender-based violence survivors since such sensitive cases require special handling by the judiciary,” Musaimi told The Jordan Times.

Last week, the JCC announced figures that were listed in its annual report on the Conditions of the Regular Courts, the Administrative Judiciary, and the Public Prosecution for the year 2022.

The report listed several recommendations including establishing specialised minors and family courts in various parts of the Kingdom.

A senior judicial source told The Jordan Times that “establishing such courts is important but it is a long-term goal that needs a lot of preparations by the relevant entities”.

Meanwhile, Solidarity Is Global Institute (SIGI) said in a statement on Tuesday that “family murders are on the rise”.

“Despite adopting many procedures, legislation, and policies to limit impunity for perpetrators it was noticed that there is an increase in the number of crimes, their type, and the tools used,” according to a statement by SIGI.

This, SIGI maintained, entails reconsidering the protection system in all its details to ensure the elimination of crime and its causes, the statement said.

SIGI has constantly called in the past for adopting several solutions to support gender-based victims, including strengthening the basic response services for victims of violence.

In addition, SIGI called for strengthening the response of health systems to violent situations, expanding social safety nets in quantity and quality and providing more temporary shelters.

The organisation also called on the government to issue statements through its official channels “to stress that domestic violence will not be tolerated and that perpetrators of such crimes will not escape punishment”.