NCHR marks Int’l Human Rights Day, reviews its 2019 activities in Jordan

AMMAN — On the occasion of International Human Rights Day and the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) reviewed its 2019 activities in the Kingdom.

The centre's efforts are concentrated on various aspects of human rights, including reviewing laws, regulations, policies and practices, writing reports and following up on cases relating to all segments of society, NCHR Protection Commissioner Nahla Al Momani told The Jordan Times on Monday over the phone.

Momani, who is also the director of the civil and political rights directorate at the centre, said that the NCHR this year reviewed regulations recently presented to the Lower House and worked on legal reviews sent to concerned authorities with the aim of resolving any detected violations.

This year, the NCHR continued its work tracking cases related to civil and political rights through conducing visits to rehabilitation centres and temporary detention centres to monitor violations, Momani said, noting that the law allows the centre to conduct announced as well as unannounced visits.

"The visits are continual and are made either to check in general whether the centres are working in line with international standards or to follow up closely on complaints from inmates about any mistreatment or depravation of rights," the protection commissioner said. 

Another field that centre works in is freedom of speech, as it monitors cases of those detained for published posts or slogans during marches, she said.

"The centre also follows closely the problems of children, especially in regards to child labour and vagrancy," which is prevalent in remote areas and tourism locations, Momani said, adding that the NCHR monitors youth detention centres as well.

In regards to the right to education, the NCHR throughout the year conducted visits to schools in the north, centre and south of the Kingdom, analysing the infrastructure, services, safety and academic staff at these schools, according to Momani.

There is “great focus” on women's rights, which Momani said extends to women working on farms, ensuring they are provided with proper working conditions. 

The monitoring also includes hospitals and elderly care homes, with the centre investigating issues of people with disabilities and even environmental problems. 

International Human Rights Day is celebrated each year on December 10, and this year the United Nations chose the theme "Youth Standing Up for Human Rights".

The UN website states that the theme was chosen because "youth participation is essential to achieve sustainable development for all", and because youth participation “can play a crucial role in positive change”. 

Momani said that each year, the NCHR participates in various human rights activities to mark the occasion, noting that during Tuesday’s event organised by HIMAM, a coalition of 16 civil society institutions, the centre will present its report to shed light on all the aforementioned cases in detail. 

"The centre believes in partnership with the civil society institutions, and the centre always celebrates human rights through its continuous monitoring of violations to resolve them," Momani concluded.