Jordan Times
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Justice, equality cannot be
achieved when only half the society implements, issues legislation — Bashir
'Women and the Law' conference opens
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN — Minister of Justice Salah Bashir said Monday that justice and equality cannot be achieved by legislation that are implemented on men and women, at a time when only men who constitute half of the society issue and implement them.“The biggest challenge in the 21st century is to ensure active and not only symbolic women's participation in drafting and implementing legislation,” Bashir, also minister of state for Cabinet affairs, told around 70 legal experts from 16 Arab countries.
The Arab experts are attending a three-day conference entitled “Women and the Law — A Regional Dialogue ... Supporting Voices of Change,” that is held under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania.
The event was a follow-up to the first Arab Judicial Forum, which was held in Bahrain in September 2003, to improve efficiency of judicial institutions in the Middle East.
Turning to Jordan, Bashir said the Kingdom had come a long way in the field of human rights and reinforcing the principles of equality, rule of law, and equal opportunity, but that there still is a long road ahead.
“Initiatives and programmes such as those of the National Council of Family Affairs, headed by Queen Rania, had brought about great strides in enhancing women's role and empowering them to take an active role in the development of society,” he added.
There are 19 female judges and 1,050 practising female lawyers registered at the Jordan Bar Association, according to the minister. The number of practising male lawyers stands at around 6,000, he added.
Cherie Booth-Blair, wife of British Prime Minster Tony Blair, told the gathering Monday evening that the struggle for women's rights forms part of the larger struggle for human rights, a struggle in which individuals demand more respect and concern for their rights from their governments.
“It remains vitally important that women be empowered to acquire the power to think and act freely, exercise choice, and fulfil their potential as full and equal members of society,” she told the gathering.
Mrs. Blair emphasised that discrimination against and prosecution of women must be brought to an end.
“My hope is that discussions such as we will be having here in Amman will lead to a new culture being born, a culture in which respect for fundamental rights and freedoms of all is second nature,” she added.
US Ambassador to Jordan Edward Gnehm, who also addressed the participants during the opening session, emphasised that women's participation was a cornerstone for building prosperous and stable societies.
“While the road ahead might be hard, every step you take today, no matter how small, will make you closer to your goal tomorrow,” Gnehm said.
The conference will tackle three main areas that include women and the judiciary, judicial development practices in the region and human rights and equality.
Other objectives include raising the participants' awareness of issues affecting women in the judicial systems and developing specific plans for future collaboration and communication among participants on these issues.
The regional event is also organised by the United States Middle East Partnership Initiative and the American Bar Association.
The participants include judges, lawyers, academics, deputies and prosecutors from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen in addition to Jordan.
Other representatives from the United Kingdom and the European Union are also taking part.