Jordan Times
Sunday, September 11, 2005
National family strategy
to be launched tomorrow
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — The Kingdom will launch its first-ever national strategy to guide
Jordanian families on how to build a healthy and solid family structure for
future generations on Monday.
The National Strategy for the Jordanian Family,
devised by researchers as well as civil society and governmental entities over
the past two years, highlights some of the social, economic and health
challenges affecting families today.
It cites numerous factors that have weakened the identity and structure of the
Jordanian family unit and hindered its growth as a productive group.
The National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA), which has spearheaded the
strategy's creation, told the media yesterday the strategy presents eight
components related to family life and the priorities needed for intervention.
“The family is the backbone of a healthy household and the main source of
knowledge and cultural identity of its members,” head of the NCFA Policy Unit
Hussein Othman said.
“However, numerous factors have led to a steady disintegration of the family
structure and subsequently given rise to social ills,” he added.
According the Othman, poverty, illiteracy, population growth, unemployment and
urbanisation have taken a visible toll on the family unit and the welfare of
children.
The strategy cites urbanisation as having caused an imbalance in the family
unit, where many have shifted from extended families to nuclear units today.
Othman said studies show that some 80 per cent of Jordanian families constitute
the latter.
Strained economic conditions, a breakdown in social norms and values and divorce
have also played a role in the disintegration of the family unit, he added.
Many families are now placing their parents in nursing homes, while those with
children in juvenile institutions have been known to show lack of concern.
The large size of the family, with the average size of a household currently at
six members and up to nine in rural areas, has made it difficult for parents to
meet their family's needs.
The strategy indicates the importance of helping families to be financially
secure and self-sufficient and open to modernisation without losing their
cultural identity.
It cites globalisation as one factor responsible for marginalising the role of
families as the primary source of socialisation and preserver of cultural values
and national identity.
While the strategy's developers stress the positive aspect of globalisation,
they believe it is important to guide families on placing some limitations on
their children in order to preserve their cultural identity.
Othman acknowledged yesterday that the strategy was a crucial tool in shaping
the policies and objectives of other concerned entities in the field.
“A plethora of strategies related to family welfare have been launched in this
country over the past few years, but it is not a trend.”
“Strategies support and develop national policies and plans formulated by
various entities in the field under a clear, organised and measurable plan,” he
added.
According to Othman, an evaluation of the strategy's effect on families will be
carried out around three to five years after its implementation.
The NCFA will be responsible for monitoring and following up on the strategy.
NCFA Acting Secretary General Lara Hussein said the strategy's executive action
plan is expected to be unveiled in two weeks time.
The Arab Family Committee (AFC) will also be holding its first session here
Monday on the sidelines of the strategy launch.
The AFC, established under the auspices of the Arab League last year, includes
22 member states working to devise a regional strategy for the Arab family.