Jordan Times
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Unit at Prime Ministry to look into citizens' complaints — Fayez
AMMAN (JT) — Prime Minister Faisal Fayez said Wednesday that he would soon officially announce the establishment of a unit at the Prime Ministry tasked with processing complaints by citizens, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.During a visit to the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR), where he met with its board members as well as representatives of human rights organisations, the premier said the unit will handle complaints by citizens and investors by examining them “in the field.”
He added that international agreements on human rights ratified by the government will be referred to the Lower House of Parliament for approval.
In a discussion held at the centre, Fayez stressed that those found responsible for child abuse “should be held accountable.”
He urged the centre to coordinate with security services, which he described as “national institutions aiming to serve the country and its security and stability.”
Also on Wednesday, the centre, in coordination with the UNESCO, celebrated the launch of the Arabic version of a guidebook that educates individuals and human rights organisations on ways to file complaints on human rights violations, Petra reported.
The document was authored by German human rights activist Klaus Hoffner and published by UNESCO in 1998 in English, German, French and Russian.
The Wednesday ceremony was part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
President of the NCHR, Ahmad Obeidat, said in his address on the occasion that combating human rights violations has become a priority for all organisations concerned with the issue.
According to the UNESCO's website, “individuals, groups of individuals and nongovernmental organisations may submit communications (complaints) to UNESCO concerning violations of human rights, whether the authors of these communications are themselves victims of such violations or whether they deem to have reliable knowledge of such violations.
The organisation is mainly concerned with violations to the right to education, the right to share in scientific advancement, the right to participate freely in cultural life and the right to information, including freedom of opinion and expression.
The government-sponsored NCHR functions under a special law which sets the goals of the body, which include: Promoting human rights values, ensuring equality and justice, fighting all forms of discrimination, enhancing democracy and observing the Kingdom's commitment to relevant international conventions.
The centre, which was established in 2002 under the said law, made a remarkable achievement last year when it played a key role in securing a decision allowing Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians to reside with their families in Jordan, leaving the Ruweished refugee camp which was set up for refugees fleeing the war in Iraq.
Petra said that Fayez also paid a visit to the Higher Population Council, where he urged officials to work for harmony between population growth and economic growth.
Secretary General of the Council Zuhair Kayed briefed the premier on the national population strategy implemented by the agency.