Jordan Times
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Regional conference to
tackle ways to reduce domestic violence
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — A conference on family protection opens
today with an extensive programme to tackle the status of domestic violence in
the region.
Gathering experts from 17 countries, the Arab Regional Conference for Family
Protection will explore some of the emerging issues concerning domestic abuse
over recent years.
Practitioners in the field will exchange experiences and best practices in
combating family violence, including protocols for assessment, intervention,
monitoring and evaluation.
Training sessions will be held for practitioners, such as interviewing child
sexual abuse victims, case management skills for social workers and the medical
evaluation of sexual abuse victims.
Held under the theme, “Working Together for Family Protection,” the conference
will include participants from Libya, Syria, Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Bahrain,
Kuwait, Pakistan and Iran.
Momen Hadidi, head of the Family Protection Project (FPP) in Jordan, told the
media that while the subject of abuse remains sensitive in Arab society, many
countries have shown the political will and commitment to push forward frank
discussions on this issue.
“The fact that we have chosen to break the silence on domestic violence and
abuse shows a political will and commitment by all the various entities
involved, to ensure that families can build a safe and healthy foundation for
life,” Hadidi said.
“This conference will allow experts across the region to share their country's
experiences and expertise to combat abuse,” he added.
The conference, to be inaugurated by Her Majesty Queen Rania, is being held by
the National Council for Family Affairs, the FPP and the Public Security
Directorate's Family Protection Department (FPD).
The FPP was established in 2002 under the leadership of Queen Rania and includes
representatives of both governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
involved in child and family protection.
The project, funded by the UK government's Department for International
Development (DFID), seeks to raise public awareness on the subject and takes a
multi disciplinary approach in protecting victims of family violence.
Lt. Col. Fadel Hmoud, who heads the FPD, said increased public awareness on
domestic and child abuse over recent years has made detection easier as more
people have come forward.
He said such progress would eventually bring about a reduction in child abuse
cases.
The Kingdom has been a leading model in the region for addressing the subject
since bringing the issue to light in the year 2000.
Last year, with the support of UNICEF, police officers from Sudan visited the
Kingdom for three weeks to learn best practices to address the sexual and
physical abuse of children in the war-torn Darfur region.
Other countries, such as Abu Dhabi and Yemen, have also looked to Jordan's
experience in domestic violence and have since set up their own centres.
The FPP team will present the National Framework for Family Protection during
the conference this week — a resource outlining the preventive route of family
violence to practitioners and experts.
It outlines six stages to combat family violence in Jordan, from early detection
through to judicial procedures and family support mechanisms.
It also includes a list of standardised definitions to be adopted by
practitioners and experts in the field.
The conference is sponsored by DFID, the Swiss Agency for Cooperation, Save the
Children, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNICEF, the World Health
Organisation (WHO) and Microsoft.
The conference will also provide an interactive session on the media's role in
advancing awareness on family protection.