Jordan Times
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Arab Regional Conference
for Family Protection opens
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN — Around one-third of Jordanians reported
they were aware that incidents of violence occur in their own families,
according to a local survey on domestic violence released on Tuesday.
Wives and mothers were the most vulnerable family members, according to the
survey entitled, “Domestic Violence in Jordan, Knowledge, Attitudes and Status,
2005.”
The survey findings were released on the first day of the Arab Regional
Conference for Family Protection, held under the theme “Working Together for
Family Protection.”
Her Majesty Queen Rania, chairperson of the National Council for Family Affairs
(NCFA), acted as patron at the conference, which will conclude its working
sessions on Thursday.
Queen Rania was recently granted the title of the World Health Organisation
(WHO) Patron for Violence Prevention in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, based
on her national and international efforts in the family protection field.
The survey, conducted by the NCFA and other local experts, was based on a sample
of 1,500 families, including one interview with a family member of these
families.
Focus group discussions were organised to gather quantitative data that provides
insights into the various aspects of family violence.
It aimed at exploring the cultural aspects of family violence, as well as
related practices in Jordanian society.
Around 90 per cent of those surveyed said the main source of information on
family violence was television. Fifty per cent said they learned about the issue
from friends, 42 from family, 39.1 from the newspapers, 27.3 from the mosque and
23.7 from the radio.
Very few people mentioned magazines and nongovernmental organisations, according
to the survey.
Another finding revealed that males aged 12 and above were more vulnerable than
girls of the same age.
This, the survey concluded, is related to the fact that boys are brought up to
be aggressive and rebellious, while girls are brought up to be more submissive.
Some of the recommendations presented by the survey included providing
rehabilitation services for victims, offenders and their families and setting up
family counselling centres across the Kingdom.
Promoting services and programmes that address the needs of victims,
perpetrators and their families, and ensuring that services are provided across
the Kingdom, was another recommendation.
On the media level, the survey recommended developing a comprehensive national
media plan that addresses the various dimensions of family violence and targets
all ages and social groups.
During the opening ceremony, which was attended by HRH Princess Muna, Prime
Minister Marouf Bakhit and other officials and ministers, a presentation was
given on the National Framework for Family Protection (NFFP) featuring its
objectives and operational procedures.
The NFFP, the first initiative of its kind in the Arab world, operates under six
stages starting from early detection through to judicial procedures and family
support mechanisms.
Speaking during the opening session, British Ambassador to Jordan Christopher
Prentice told the gathering that family violence is by “no means particular to
Jordan or this region.”
“Women and children are at risk from violence everywhere in the world, and in
every walk of life... In Britain, one in four women have been victims of
domestic violence,” the ambassador said.
He added the “persistence of domestic violence and of [so-called] honour
killings calls for a need to strategise around addressing gender inequalities
and child rights.
“We need to be clear about the actions which are still required,” Prentice said.
Director of the Public Security Department Lt.Gen. Mohammad Aitan and NCFA
Secretary General Jamil Smadi also delivered addresses at the opening session.
They stressed the importance of sharing experiences and proposing practical
solutions to address issues of family violence.
The conference seeks to advance best practices in protection, prevention and
treatment of the physical, psychological, emotional, mental, social, and
economic implications of family violence inflicted on children, women and men in
all stages of life.
In addition, the conference aims at introducing the extent, forms, causes, and
implications of family violence, explore its different facets, develop a
multidisciplinary approach to address family protection, and encourage
establishing partnerships with international specialists and NGOs.
The participants from17 countries include specialists and experts from
governmental and nongovernmental organisations working in the field of family
protection, both locally and regionally.
Countries taking part in the conference include Egypt, Syria, Libya, Algeria,
Sudan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates, Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Iran and Jordan.
The experts are exploring emerging issues concerning domestic abuse over recent
years as well as exchanging experiences and best practices in combating family
violence.
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.
The conference is organised by the NCFA, the Family Protection Project and the
Public Security Directorate's Family Protection Department.
The event is sponsored by the UK government's Department for International
Development, the Swiss Agency for Cooperation, Save the Children, the Danish
ministry of foreign affairs, UNICEF, WHO and Microsoft.
Domestic violence statistics
• In 2000, an estimated 520,000 people in the world died as a result of violent
acts from family members or close relatives
• Over 57,000 children under the age of 15 died as a result of violence,
including rape and neglect
• Research shows that 20 per cent of women suffer from sexual abuse worldwide
• Research shows that 4-7 per cent of elderly people suffer from abuse and
violence either at the hands of family members or staff at care homes and
institutions.
Source: WHO Violence and Health – Jordan Report 2005