Bani Mustafa highlights Kingdom's measures to combat violence against women

AMMAN —  A conference to launch the 2021 Regional Index on Violence Against Women and Girls kicked off on Saturday in Amman.

The EU-supported event was organised by the inter-ministerial committee for women empowerment in cooperation with the EuroMed Feminist Initiative, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Head of the committee, Minister of State for Legal Affairs Wafa Bani Mustafa, during the opening ceremony, said that globally,  according to UN Women and WHO, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, usually from their partner.

In some countries, up to 70 per cent of women face physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, while in the Arab world the percentage could reach 37, the minister said, noting that the actual number could be higher, criticising the underreporting of violence against women. 

Research indicates that the cost of violence against women could amount to around 2 per cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), some $1.5 trillion, she said, citing CARE International's figures. 

Bani Mustafa highlighted the Kingdom's response over the years to prevent violence against women, notably the 2022 constitutional amendments, as well as amendments to the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence and the Penal Code adopted in 2017, among other legislations. 

She also called on women to increase their participation in political life and parties, stressing that women's access to decision could correct social and economic inequalities.

Head of policies and monitoring unit at the Jordanian National Commission for Women Diana Haddadin reviewed a report related to the Kingdom's achievements on the Regional Index, as Jordan has made advances in 49 indicators.

The two-day event focuses on the results of the index and its main recommendations, and witnesses the participation of 80 representatives from seven countries, including Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, in addition to representatives from the EU and the Union for the Mediterranean, embassies, members of parliaments, gender and law experts, civil society, human rights organisations and national government institutions.