Amman: The regional conference organized by UN Women for the Arab States under the theme "From Pledge to Action to fulfill Beijing + 30 Review Commitments in the Arab States: Sharing Knowledge on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls" convened Monday in Amman. The two-day event gathers government officials, legal and political experts, service providers from Arab countries, regional organizations, UN agencies, and development partners. Its goal is to foster mutual learning and exchange of experiences and best practices to advance reforms aimed at ending violence against women and girls in private, public, and digital spaces, in line with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
According to Jordan News Agency, Barq Dhamour, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Social Development and Chair of the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, emphasized during the opening session that violence against women not only affects women but society as a whole, as it loses the contributions of half its active workforce. This highlights the need for reinforced policies and preventive measures. Dhamour further detailed Jordan's recent legislative and institutional reforms, which include constitutional amendments and the development of various legislation and strategies, all aimed at reinforcing social protection and women's empowerment.
Dhamour also outlined Jordan's national priorities for the next five years concerning the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. These priorities include promoting equality and non-discrimination, strengthening protection systems, eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, advancing media discourse, and supporting women's economic empowerment.
Maha Ali, the Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women, underscored the significance of the regional workshop in facilitating knowledge exchange among Arab countries to bolster protection systems addressing violence against women and girls. She attributed the progress in empowering Jordanian women to strong political will and supportive policies reflected in legislation and strategies.
Mohammad Miqdadi, Secretary-General of the National Council for Family Affairs, highlighted Jordan's developed legislative, policy, and service frameworks that support family, women's, and child protection. He stressed the need to move from policymaking to measurable impact through concrete services, noting the challenge lies in transitioning from laws to implementation and from response to prevention.
UN Women Deputy Regional Director for the Arab States Janneke van der Graaff-Kukler highlighted the necessity of moving from pledges to implementation by strengthening legislation, activating existing laws, and investing in survivor-centered services. She stated that progress in the Arab region depends on comprehensive legislation, well-trained personnel, and reliable data, along with multi-sectoral responses that address all forms of violence, including digital abuse.
The conference sessions are set to tackle emerging challenges in combating violence against women and girls, such as technology-facilitated violence, and review legal reforms and promising service models from the Arab region as well as successful experiences from other countries. This aims to advance Beijing+30 commitments and support efforts to end violence against women and girls.