9. August 2023

Die folgenden Ausschnitte aus ausgewählten Quellen enthalten Informationen zu oben genannter Fragestellung (Zugriff auf alle Quellen am 9. August 2023):

Allgemeines

The New Arab ist die englische Ausgabe der in London ansässigen Nachrichtenwebseite Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

·      The New Arab: Social media's role in the fight to stop honour crimes in Jordan, 15. November 2021
https://www.newarab.com/analysis/fight-stop-honour-crimes-jordan

„Over the past two decades, several developments have happened in Jordan to address the issue of honour-based violence. In 1997, the Jordanian government created the Family Protection Department, which investigates domestic violence and sexual assault cases against women and children. Several years later, in 2001, a clause was added granting female suspects the same penalty reduction as men in Article 340, which stipulates that any man who attacks or kills his wife or any of his female relatives in the act of committing adultery or in ‘an unlawful bed’ benefits from a reduced sentence. In 2016, the government's Religious Endowments department issued a fatwa saying honour killings are incompatible with Islam. Then, in 2017, Jordan's parliament approved an amendment of Article 98 of the penal code, which considered ‘severe anger’ as a mitigating circumstance for ‘honour crimes.’ That same year, Article 308, which stipulates that a rapist could be spared prosecution if he married his victim, was cancelled after pressure from activists. A year later, the Ministry of Social Development opened a shelter dubbed ‘Amneh House’ (‘safe’ in Arabic) for women whose lives are threatened by familial violence.” (The New Arab, 15. November 2021)

Rechtliche Bestimmungen

Die International Relations Review (IRR) ist eine Zeitschrift für internationale Angelegenheiten, die von Studenten der Boston University geschrieben, herausgegeben und veröffentlicht wird.

·      IRR – International Relations Review: Patriarchy Kills: The Phenomenon of Honor Killings in Jordan and Worldwide, 28. September 2022
https://www.irreview.org/articles/patriarchy-kills-honor-killings-in-jordan

„According to Jordan-born professor and author Lama Abu-Odeh, honor-related violence (honor crimes), social violence (public reactions and judgements based on cultural norms), and state violence (a state’s inability to protect females in vulnerable positions) form a ‘triangular interaction’ that reinforces the deadly patriarchal system. Stated in Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code, ‘any man who kills or assaults his wife or any of his female relatives in the act of committing adultery or in an ‘unlawful bed’ benefits from a reduction in penalty’. Despite continuous efforts and pressure from social organizations to amend it, Article 340 is still present today.” (IRR, 28. September 2022)

Das Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) ist laut eigenen Angaben ein unabhängiges, regionales, wissenschaftliches Interessenvertretungszentrum für Studien, Forschung und Ausbildung zu Menschenrechtsfragen und Demokratie.

·      ACHRS – Amman Center for Human Rights Studies: Protect Jordanian Women; In only 72 Hours, 2 Women Have Been Murdered By Their Husbands, 28. August 2022
https://achrs.org/english/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Statement_-PROTECT-JORDANIAN-WOMEN.pdf

„Domestically, Jordan has strived to tackle domestic violence through Law No.6/2008 regarding protection from domestic violence. The main aims of this legislation were to preserve family ties and provide general protection to victims of violence through possible restraining orders. There is no mention in this legislation of combating gender-based violence, or addressing the social norms which subordinate women and normalise their mistreatment.

However, at a domestic level, nothing has changed in the lives of Jordanian women. Governmental efforts have failed to ensure the safety of its female population, which is a flagrant violation of the right to life and to live in dignity in Jordanian society. Jordan has an obligation pursuant to the Declaration on Eliminating Violence Against Women to ‘exercise due diligence in preventing acts of violence against women, investigate and in accordance with their national laws, whether these acts perpetrated by the State or by private persons’. This obligation is not fulfilled by Law No.6/2008[1].” (ACHRS, 28. August 2022)

Die CRCJO-Coalition ist eine Koalition aus zivilgesellschaftlichen Organisationen, die sich für Menschenrechte, Kinderrechte und soziale Themen einsetzen. Die Koalition wird vom jordanischen Forschungszentrum Information and Research Center – King Hussein Foundation geleitet.

·      CRCJO-Coalition: Alternative Report on the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Jordan, Juni 2022
https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2082586/INT_CRC_NGO_JOR_49386_E.docx 

„While the Law on Protection of Domestic Violence No. 15/2017 is considered a major improvement when compared with the pervious one, it still has major gaps and fails to provide optimal protection against domestic violence. The law fails to define ‘domestic violence’ and it does not criminalize all forms of gender-based violence including restriction of girls and women’s freedom and choices, economic violence, emotional violence and marital rape. Moreover, the law the law focuses and prioritizes preserving the family unit rather than protecting the victim.” (CRCJO-Coalition, Juni 2022)

Das US Department of State (USDOS) ist das US-Bundesministerium, das für die auswärtigen Angelegenheiten der Vereinigten Staaten zuständig ist.

·      USDOS – US Department of State: 2022 Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Jordan, 20. März 2023
https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/2089239.html

„Rape and Domestic Violence: The law stipulates a sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labor for the nonspousal rape of any individual age 15 or older. Spousal rape is not illegal. Conviction for rape of a child younger than age 15 potentially carries the death penalty. The law makes prosecution mandatory for felony offenses, including rape. Nonfelony offenses, such as certain cases of domestic violence, are first subjected to mediation by the Family Protection Department (FPD) of the PSD [Public Security Directorate]. The law provides options for alternative sentencing in domestic violence cases, with consent of the victim. The government did not effectively enforce the law against rape. […]

Throughout the year, the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA), a civil society organization chaired by the queen, implemented guidelines for responding to domestic violence against women and children. NCFA launched a 2021-2023 matrix of priorities endorsed by the Cabinet. These priorities included police and justice, psychosocial services, health, awareness and prevention, integration, and coordination. Women may file complaints of rape or physical abuse with certain NGOs or directly with judicial authorities. However, due to social taboos and degrading treatment at police stations, gender-based crimes often went unreported. […]

The FPD investigated more than 6,793 domestic violence cases during the year, referring 4,590 cases to the judiciary and 1,303 to mediation. Many cases were settled, dismissed, or found to be outside FPD jurisdiction. Some legal experts assessed settlements did little to stop domestic and gender-based violence from reoccurring. Some NGOs and lawyers reported pressure against taking physical abuse cases to court and asserted that courts routinely dropped two-thirds of assault cases that resulted in little or no physical injury. Spousal abuse is technically grounds for divorce, but husbands sometimes claimed cultural authority to strike their wives. Observers noted while judges generally supported a woman’s claim of abuse in court, due to societal and familial pressure and fear of violence such as ‘honor’ killings, few women sought legal remedies. Broad legal authorities allowed judges to base some sentencing decisions on their personal convictions rather than strict sentencing guidelines. Some legal experts reported cases of women who went to police stations to report gender-based violence and were turned away and told to instead report the crime to the FPD, which operates fewer stations in fewer locations. […]

The NCFA [National Council for Family Affairs] published a three-year national plan to respond to gender-based violence, domestic violence, and child protection. NGOs reported that health-care providers and teachers were still hesitant to report abuse due to the absence of witness protection guarantees. Specialized judges continued expediting domestic violence cases; misdemeanor cases took approximately three days to resolve, according to the FPD. The NCFA assisted the government in developing mediation guidelines. NGOs reported improvements to domestic violence-related procedures and policies in law enforcement and the judiciary, but severe shortfalls remained. Members of law enforcement outside of the FPD lacked awareness of appropriate response for domestic violence-related procedures, and there were general shortcomings with legal settlement processes.” (USDOS, 20. März 2023, Section 6)

Middle East Eye (MEE) ist eine in London ansässige Online-Nachrichtenorganisation, die Artikel freiberuflicher Journalist·innen und Beiträge von Think Tanks veröffentlicht.

·      MEE – Middle East Eye: 'She said no, then got killed': Jordanian women protest against surge in femicides, 10. Juli 2022
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jordan-women-protest-surge-femicides

„[Rana] Husseini also referenced a provision in Jordan's Penal Code, which allows for a family member to waive their legal rights in the event that another family member commits a crime, often resulting in reduced sentences for the perpetrator of a femicide or gender-based violence. ‘If someone assaults his daughter and then the brother goes and drops the charges, then who is going to protect this woman? You cannot have people removing charges against each other; where is the protection?’ The provision is often used in cases of ‘honour crimes,’ when a woman is killed because the family feels that their female relative has tarnished their reputation by what they loosely term as ‘immoral behaviour,’ Husseini writes in her book Years of Struggle: The Women's Movement in Jordan.  […]

The family member, who often plans the murder alongside another family member, often uses the provision to exonerate the perpetrator by waiving the dead victim's personal claim on her behalf, Husseini writes. […]

The most recent statistics on domestic and gender-based violence in Jordan, from the 2017-2018 Population and Family Health Survey, confirmed that 25.9 percent of wives between 15 and 49 were subjected to physical, sexual, or emotional violence from their husbands. Only 19 percent of the women who were physically or sexually abused sought help, and a mere 3 percent submitted complaints to service providers, such as police, doctors or lawyers, according to the survey. Saket, from the Takatoat collective, said there needed to be a ‘complete reform to the protection system,’ with clearer steps for women to follow when they experience threats or abuse and more shelters for victims of domestic violence ‘where women do not feel detained, but feel protected, and can exercise their freedom and rights’. Jordan's five government-run women's shelters have come under past scrutiny for their ‘prison-like’ treatment and preventing women using them from leaving the premises.” (MEE, 10. Juli 2022)

Staatlicher Schutz

Das Jordanian Public Security Directorate (PSD) ist die staatliche Sicherheitsbehörde des Haschemitischen Königreichs Jordanien.

·      PSD – Public Security Directorate: Domestic violence protection system services, ohne Datum
https://psd.gov.jo/en-us/psd-department-s/family-and-juvenile-protection-department/domestic-violence-protection-framework/domestic-violence-protection-system-services/

„The general framework of the protection against domestic violence system

Given the importance given by the Hashemite leadership to the role of women and children in society, and the multiplicity of criminal methods committed in addition to the need to change the methods of investigation and interviews with victims of domestic violence and motivate them to submit complaints to the relevant agencies, the Family and Juvenile Protection Department is concerned with providing services in a number of specialized qualitative issues which is often carried out in cooperation and partnership with a number of ministries and institutions in the public and private sectors.

First: Police Services

Based on the direct and continuous directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, Ibn Al Hussein, to pay attention to human rights, preserve his dignity and enhance his freedoms, to make Jordan one of the first countries in the region that has set its sights on developing a comprehensive and integrated system concerned with human rights in general, and women and children in particular, within the reform approach that Jordan has committed to. Years ago, the Department of Family Protection and Juveniles formed the focus of the first response that dedicates efforts to preserve the family entity and the safety of abused women and children, which prompted the department to strengthen its procedures and work system to achieve the security, safety, privacy and confidentiality of these cases.

The most prominent police services provided: Receiving, taking the necessary police procedures and completing the procedures according to the case management methodology.

Preserving the crime scene, arresting the perpetrators and criminal tools, and preserving the life of the victim.

Organizing the necessary legal reports and completing the criminal case file in accordance with legal principles.

Helping victims and survivors of violence to obtain free medical care.

Security escorts for victims and survivors of violence to receive health, social and judicial services, providing protection for shelters in coordination with the police directorates within the jurisdiction, Interviewing women and children in rooms designated for this purpose by trained and qualified female police officers.

Recording the interviews of the abused children using video technology in order to prevent these children from repeating the facts of the abuse they were subjected to again when the case is bid farewell.

Television link with the courts (CCTV) to investigate cases remotely to spare the victims the psychological impact that they have and to maintain confidentiality and privacy.

Digital investigation of cases of online child sexual exploitation and digital evidence collection.

Conducting a consultative meeting (case conference) with all service providers for the case of domestic violence in order to reach the best services for the case and evaluate the results of the services.

Settlement of family disputes, it is handled by the person responsible for the settlement and it takes place in misdemeanors within the category of crimes against persons and with the consent of the parties to the conflict, where secret settlement sessions are held between the parties, resulting in the signing of a settlement agreement sent to the family dispute settlement judges in the regular courts and follow-up of the imposed measures By judges on the perpetrators of violence and the parties to the family conflict.

Second: Family social services

The Family and Juvenile Protection Department continues in partnership and cooperation with the Ministry of Social Development to work under one roof and achieve the national interest represented in providing comprehensive security protection to protect the family system. […]

Social services provided: Social follow-up of cases through field visits and telephone calls.

Family counselling services through joint sessions between family members.

Psychological services and behavioral therapy through psychologists and in cooperation with a psychiatrist.

Educational services by facilitating the task of cases in order to reintegrate them into the educational system.

Referral services for government institutions and civil society organizations that provide services.

Addressing the National Aid Fund and charities in order to provide financial support to the cases and according to the spatial jurisdiction.

The necessary social studies for children in need of care and protection through the issuance of a protection decision by the juvenile judge to place them in one of the appropriate care homes for their age group.

Shelter services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault by hosting them in the shelters of the Ministry of Social Development.

Preparing psychological and social status reports for family dispute settlement issues and recommending imposing measures.

Third: health services […]

Conducting the necessary medical examinations for victims of domestic violence in the forensic clinics within the administration and its affiliated departments, and following up on the implementation of medical consultations based on the forensic doctor’s .placement in accordance with valid agreements. Providing psychiatric services to the parties to the case.“ (PSD, ohne Datum)

Roya News English ist Teil des privaten jordanischen Medienunternehmens Roya Media Group und bietet englischsprachige Berichterstattung, speziell über Jordanien und Palästina.

·      Roya News English: Family Protection Department received 37,000 reports of domestic violence by end of August, 2. Oktober 2021
https://en.royanews.tv/news/31674/2021-10-02

„The Family Protection Department stated that it works in 3 main areas, which are ‘domestic violence, assaults, sexual abuse and juvenile delinquency,’ noting that there are 17 field departments throughout the Kingdom and two detachments in the Syrian refugee camps.

The statement added that the department receives reports and complaints of violence and domestic violence, from all government agencies, civil society organizations and public security departments on an ongoing basis. […]

The average conviction rate in rape complaints during the past four years was 42 percent. It was the highest in 2020, reaching 58 percent.

The average conviction rate in indecent assault complaints during the past four years was 45 percent. It was the highest in 2020, at 67 percent.

The Department created a Follow-up and Settlement Division, and expanded the work process automation system and the social and health follow-up system and contributed to the development of legislation, policies and practices, and adopted many forms of cooperation and follow-up within the family protection work system in Jordanian society.

According to the statement, the national framework for protection from domestic violence was adopted as one of the pillars of the Strategic Security Directorate plan, and the adoption of the priority plan prepared by the Ministerial Committee for Women Empowerment.” (Roya News English, 2. Oktober 2021)

BBC News, eine Abteilung der British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) mit Hauptsitz in London, veröffentlicht im Februar 2023 eine Dokumentation, die sich unter anderem mit der Arbeit des Jordanian Public Security Directorate und den persönlichen Erfahrungen von betroffenen Frauen befasst:

·      BBC News: Abused: Surviving Domestic Violence in Jordan, 15. Februar 2023
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0f39w53

 

·      USDOS – US Department of State: 2022 Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Jordan, 20. März 2023
https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/2089239.html

„According to local and international NGOs, authorities routinely engaged in involuntary ‘protective’ detention of women (a type of informal detention without trial) to deal with cases ranging from sex outside of marriage to absence from home to being the victim of sexual violence, all of which could put women at risk of so-called ‘honor crimes.’ NGOs reported that a few women were administratively detained at Juweideh Prison for ‘absence’ from home without permission of a male guardian, or for having sex outside of marriage. Juweideh Correctional Center held 623 women as of September. During the 12-month period ending in September, 542 women were detained administratively (see section 6). Some detained women told a local NGO that self-defense from domestic violence and economic exploitation led to their detention. Most detained women were kept in prison for several weeks due to a determination by authorities that a family member must provide a guarantee to protect them from attack prior to their release.

Since 2018, government authorities have referred women at risk of gender-based violence and ‘honor crimes’ to the Ministry of Social Development shelter. The women at risk can choose to stay at or leave the shelter after being briefed about the risks of gender-based violence and ‘honor crimes’ and being offered comprehensive services by the shelter’s management. For most women who chose to leave the shelter, local NGOs offered alternative solutions to avoid further risks of harm or detention.

According to the Ministry of Social Development, approximately 132 women had been voluntarily transferred to its shelter during the 12-month period ending in September, with an average stay of five to six months. Since the shelter opened in 2018, the Ministry of Social Development referred 414 women to it.” (USDOS, 20. März 2023, Section 1d)

„Governors used the crime prevention law to detain women administratively, ostensibly for their protection. The Ministry of Social Development operated a shelter for women at risk of violence and ‘honor crimes.’ As of September, the Amman-based shelter for women at risk of ‘honor crimes’ law had served 132 women, including administrative detainees from the Juweideh women’s correctional and rehabilitation center, women referred to the shelter by the FPD, and women directly referred to the shelter by governors. The Ministry of Social Development allows children younger than age 10 to accompany their mothers, including mothers who had previously been detained under protective custody.

The FPD operated a domestic violence hotline and received inquiries and complaints via email and in person. The Ministry of Social Development maintained a second shelter for female victims of domestic violence in Irbid. NGO reports indicated, prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, all government-run shelters were operating below capacity. In March, the ministry opened a new shelter in Aqaba with an eight-person capacity, and as of October it held two individuals.” (USDOS, 20. März 2023, Section 6)

Arab Weekly (AW) ist eine in Großbritannien, den USA und den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten erscheinende Wochenzeitung.

·      AW – Arab Weekly: Jordan struggles to stem violence against women, 15. Juli 2022
https://thearabweekly.com/jordan-struggles-stem-violence-against-women

„The Family Protection Department has beefed up its efforts to provide stronger protection for abused women. In addition to its 24-hour hotline, it made it easier for victims to file complaints through social media and a police app. But efforts to stem gender-based violence have not gone far enough. A Domestic Violence Protection Act, which was adopted in 2017, does not have a definition of what constitutes violence against women. Marital rape is not even considered a crime. NGOs provide legal aid and support but they continue to struggle with limited resources. There is a number of economic empowerment programmes to equip women with skills, but they are not enough to pay the bills or take care of children. Besides, couples are encouraged by the Family Protection Department to settle disputes if the abuse was not a criminal offence.” (AW, 15. Juli 2022)

Raseef22 ist ein 2013 gegründetes liberales arabisches Mediennetzwerk mit Sitz in Beirut.

·      Raseef22: Will Jordan reform and protect women?, 14. März 2023
https://raseef22.net/english/article/1092371-will-jordan-reform-and-protect-women

„Murders are not the only crimes prevalent in the Jordanian kingdom. There are other crimes such as the administrative detention of women, which gives permission to the administrative governor to imprison women who are often victims of violence, under the pretext of protecting them and preserving their lives, according to Article (3) of the Crime Prevention Law. These female detainees are not allowed to leave prison unless their families pledge to no longer abuse or assault them and ensure their safety. These abuse victims held in ‘protective custody’ are detained with other female prisoners who have been sentenced to imprisonment on various charges.

According to statements by the director of the Juweideh Women's Reform and Rehabilitation Centre (JCRC), Colonel Muna Abu Odeh in 2021 to Al Ghad daily, the number of inmates at the center is 412 women, of whom 102 are administratively detained, of Jordanian and foreign nationalities, along with 116 judicial detainees, and 194 female convicts, including 19 who have been sentenced to death.” (Raseef22, 14. März 2023)

Rana Husseini ist eine jordanische Journalistin und Menschenrechtsaktivistin, die sich speziell mit dem Thema Ehrverbrechen auseinandersetzt.

·      Husseini, Rana: Years of Struggle, The Women’s Movement in Jordan, Juni 2021
https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/amman/18192-20211124.pdf

„A First State Provided Shelter

A positive break happened in July 2018 when the first government-run shelter was established to receive women who are in grave danger of being murdered, in response to persistent demands by the women’s groups and activists to secure an establishment that would offer alternative protection for women. Former Social Development Minister Hala Bsaiso-Lattouf believed in this important project and invested time and effort to ensure it would become a reality. The new center was named Amneh Safe House or ‘Guest and Rehabilitation House for Women’ which offered a new and safe shelter to hundreds of women held under administrative detention at women’s correctional and rehabilitation centers for indefinite periods without a charge in what is termed ‘protective custody.’“ (Husseini, Juni 2021, S. 145)

„Women, mostly ones whose lives are in danger for reasons related to family honor, in Jordan are placed in prison for indefinite periods based on the Crime Prevention Law No. 7 for the year 1954. Although the law is applied to men and women, many women were imprisoned without a charge, a clear detention period or expected release date.“ (Husseini, Juni 2021, S. 145, Fußnote 332)

„Some of these women have spent half of their lives in prison and were unable to leave without the governor’s permission or a male guardian’s signature guaranteeing he would not harm the woman if she was released. The new safe house’s regulations stipulated that any woman who is found by the authorities to be living under any kind of threat by her family will be offered a place there.“ (Husseini, Juni 2021, S. 145-146)

Jordan News ist eine Nachrichtenorganisation mit Hauptsitz in Amman.

·      Jordan News: Women’s shelters caught between law and duty, 4. April 2021
https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-106/Features/Women-s-shelters-caught-between-law-and-duty-907

„Currently, six facilities host abused women and their children in Jordan, but activists told Jordan News that the policies governing the majority of these shelters is unclear, which can lead to gaps in safety. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) manages four of these shelters, while the remaining two operate under the Jordanian Women’s Union (JWU) and Sisterhood is Global Institute Jordan. These protection units offer women fleeing gender-based violence, sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse access to services such as psychological and social support, family rehabilitation, economic support, legal counselling, education, and various vocational training.

However, activists said that under current policies, government-run shelters suffer from rules that stifle the freedoms and safety of the victims they were set up to protect. It is also not clear how the legal process, which gives women the right to leave at their own behest, is actually playing out on the ground. Banan AbuZainEddin, executive director of Takatoat, an independent feminist collective based in Jordan, told Jordan News that instead of providing victims or at-risk individuals with rights and freedoms that allow them to protect themselves, women are being placed in shelters where they feel detained.

Under the current system, being admitted into a government-run shelter requires a court decision, which is issued after an investigation by the Department of Family Protection (DFP), according to Ashraf Khreis, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Development. Khreis told Jordan News that when a woman or girl is referred to a shelter by a judge, she receives services and protection until another decision issued from the executive authority, (administrative governor) allows her to leave. However, it is also possible for women to leave shelters with authorization from their legal guardian — usually a father, husband, or brother — while, statistically, the highest rates of violence against women come from these family members, according to AbuZainEddin. […]

Nadia Shamrokh, director of JWU, explained that the government-run shelters ‘operate under a different system and philosophy of work,’ adding that ‘they are restricted by the existing laws and regulations imposed by the ministry.’ In contrast, at JWU, a team drafts a personalized plan with the participation of the victim. ‘Our specialists only present them with the options. The final say is theirs. The final solution may not be the ideal one, but that’s another complicated subject,’ Shamrokh told Jordan News. The director further explained that very often, families are supportive, knowing the women are in a safe place. In the event their family is not supportive, a long-term support plan has to be set in place until social workers find a solution through mediation or until the women and girls are able to provide for themselves and their families, which can take years. Shamrokh said that women have to stay in the shelter until they resolve the problems that brought them there, adding that the most complicated cases are often those of unmarried girls escaping their families. In these cases, secrecy is mandatory. […]

In addition to the women’s shelter in Amman, which takes in both Jordanian women and an increasing number of female migrant victims, the JWU also runs a hotline that provides emergency support 24 hours a day, active in over 20 locations across the Kingdom.” (Jordan News, 4. April 2021)

Schutz durch NGOs

·      Jordan News: ‘Malath ’: Finding shelter against domestic violence, 20. November 2022
https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-106/Features/Malath-Finding-shelter-against-domestic-violence-24776

„Jordan’s Family Protection Law No. 6 (2008, amended in 2017) calls for the provision of medical services and shelter with the consent of a survivor and in coordination with the Ministry of Social Development (Article 6b). Jordan’s Legislative Assembly adopted the Family Shelter Regulation (Statutory Instrument No. 48 of 2004), which outlines a system of shelters for survivors of domestic violence, and places the Ministry of Social Development in charge of their regulation. The ministry established Dar Al-Wifaq (Family Reconciliation House) in Amman in 2007 to provide shelter for domestic violence survivors. Dar Al-Wifaq also operates a shelter in the northern province of Irbid, and there is a plan to establish one in the southern region.

While the Kingdom’s public infrastructure covers some of the needs of domestic-violence victims, the number of private shelters for women in Jordan represents a challenge. At one point, the Jordanian Women’s Union guest house, established in 1999, serviced the only non-governmental shelter for women in Jordan. The Women’s Union shelter is a temporary residence for women (and their children) who have been subjected to violence of all forms: physical, sexual, material, economic, and psychological. It also provides shelter for women who feel threatened or believe that living in their homes poses a risk to them and their children. […]

However, recently, steps have been made to meet this global need in the private sector. SOS Children’s Villages’ Amman and Irbid branches have both established temporary shelters for abused women under the name of ‘Malath’, which means an ‘escape’. […]

The services offered include housing and care for victims of gender-based violence and their children in safe houses, access to case-management services, counseling, and legal support. The Malath shelters also support women’s economic empowerment through training on income-generating projects, and assisting women to establish projects of their own. Services are provided continuously until victims’ cases are resolved in coordination with official agencies. In an interview with Jordan News, Rana Al-Zoubi, who serves as Jordan country director at SOS Children’s Villages (SOS), said that the project was conceived after the pandemic witnessed high rates of domestic violence. SOS has been collaborating closely with the Ministry of Social Development and Family Protection Services to try and improve this critical situation. Fundamentally, SOS prioritizes children, so Malath provides the only model in Jordan that allows a woman to freely leave an abusive home with her children.” (Jordan News, 20. November 2022)

Die Jordanian Women's Union (JWU) mit Sitz in Amman ist eine nichtstaatliche Organisation, die sich für die Verbesserung des Lage von Frauen einsetzt.

·      JWU – Jordanian Women’s Union: Programs, ohne Datum
https://jwu.org.jo/en/programs

„The Jordanian Women’s Union has permanent central programs aimed at confronting forms of violence against women, providing protection and assistance to them, and monitoring violations against women, working to provide a legislative and legal environment in which all citizens are equal, with equal rights and duties for men and women. These programs have a central administration in the main center in Amman, and they have branches in most parts of the Kingdom, in coordination with partner associations with the same goals. […]

Legal, Psychological, and Social (Hot Line) Program

The Hot Line Program was established in 1996 and it seeks to receive women who are abused of gender-based violence and to provide protection along with psychological, social, and legal guiding services, vocational rehabilitation, and training for abused women.

This Program also follows up on the cases of abused women that require moving them and their children to a shelter, providing them with the necessary services, including health care, empowering abused women, and reintegrating them safely into society. […]

The program is based on a group of experienced and specialized female social and psychological specialists and legal advisors who are trained to provide service and assistance to abused women in complete secrecy and through several mechanisms:

·        Over the phone:

Women can request help by calling the Hotline (065675729). Then, the social workers receives the call, listens to the caller, knows the nature of the problem, and then refer her to the psychologist or legal advisor. Then, the social worker continues to provide the necessary assistance according to the desire and decision of the caller and the requirements of solving the problem. The caller can be satisfied with the counselling on the phone, or she can choose to continue communicating with the program, based on her independent decision.

·        Service provided through conducting a personal interview:

Where abused women attend the program site in person to get help, it is not required to take an appointment in advance, but according to women’s circumstances and appropriate time, because in some cases, it is difficult for them to leave the house. […]

·        Field Service:

It is based on the circumstances and needs of abused women who wish to receive the service from the program. This type of service includes:

·        Making field visits to the abused women in their places of residence, when their conditions prevent them from accessing the program for various reasons, such as social, financial, and health reasons, among others. Visits are made with the consent of the women themselves in a manner that guarantees their safety and security.

·        Visiting governmental and non-governmental institutions, organizations, and bodies that may help in providing or completing the services in order to achieve personal and social security and safety for abused women Such services include security and health institutions, international organizations, embassies, local bodies, and women’s workplaces, among others.

·        Visiting the parties that have a relation with the woman’s problem and the violence she is subjected to, including the abuser, in case he refuses to attend.

Services of the Legal, Psychological and Social Hot Line Program are provided through the following centers and branches of the Jordanian Women's Union:

Branch

Phone number/s […]

Abused Women's Guest House (Women's Shelter)

The Shelter was established in 1999, and it was the first shelter for women in Jordan. It is a temporary residence for women (and their children) who have been subjected to violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, material, economic, and psychological violence. It also provides shelter for women who felt threatened and that living in her home poses her and her children to risk. It can be also used by women who were victims of trafficking of women. The shelter, which operates 24 hours a day, receives women mainly from the legal, psychological, and social guide line program to serve abused women and with their desire, free will, and independent decision.

In addition, abused and threatened women are received in the Shelter through referrals from many agencies (governmental agencies, organizations, civil society, international bodies, embassies, consulates), and from activists interested in protecting women from violence. […]

The period of stay in the shelter is not specified, and it can be prolonged or shortened according to several considerations, mainly those related to the extent of danger to which the woman and her children are exposed, the solutions offered, and the prospects that may resolve the crisis.” (JWU, ohne Datum)

 

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