Physical violence constitutes 58.7% of cases received at Family Protection Department — report

AMMAN — In the upcoming few days, the world will celebrate three events concerning children and young women, among them on Friday the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI), a local women’s organisation, said on Wednesday. 

Saturday is World Toilet Day for Kids and World Children’s Day, celebrated under the theme: “A Better Future for Every Child”, according to a SIGI statement. 

SIGI noted that World Toilet Day comes as a result of the shocking figures of deaths among children due to a lack of health facilities. UN figures show that around 315,000 children die annually from diarrhea, poor sanitation services and unsafe water.

The Family Protection and Juveniles Department in 2020 received 17,693 cases, where 58.7 per cent of cases were related to physical violence and 34 per cent were related to sexual violence cases. 

For the 5,008 cases that were referred to court, 66.3 per cent of the cases included adult females, 27.7 per cent children and 6 per cent adult males, SIGI noted.

Social Development Ministry figures for 2019 show that the number of juveniles admitted to rehabilitation centres totalled 2,722, including 476 who repeated cases. 

According to 2020 annual statistical report issued by the Department of Statistics, about 44.3 per cent of the Kingdom’s estimated population are less than 19 years of age, totalling 4.78 million, of which females constituted 48.4 per cent at 2.32 million.

SIGI called for holding meetings among government, non-government and civil community stakeholders to discuss the notes mentioned by the children’s right committee to protect children, such as amending laws, preparing policies or changing practices.