‘Civil society institutions in Jordan still lack principles of good governance’

AMMAN — A number of civil society institutions are lacking democratic aspects and principles of good governance, including participation, accountability and transparency, the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) Chief Commissioner Mousa Breizat said on Wednesday. 

In his speech at the inauguration of a conference on enhancing the role of civil society institutions, Breizat said that civil society institutions still face some obstacles that limit their ability to enhance human rights principles, according to an NCHR statement. 

Such institutions have to spread the culture of human rights among all components of society, especially among the most vulnerable including the youth, women and people with disabilities.

Also speaking at the event, which was organised by NCHR under an EU project to support civil society institutions in Jordan, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh said that human rights issues have become one of the top priorities for countries seeking to enhance freedoms, equality and maintain human dignity. 

In this regard Tarawneh said that the reform procedures adopted by the Kingdom have enabled women to assume important posts including some at the Lower House.

Regarding the rights of people with disabilities, the speaker noted that the Chamber endorsed the Law on People with Disabilities in 2017, as an implementation of the national strategy to better integrate people with disabilities in public life and ensure equal opportunities for them.

EU Ambassador to Jordan Andrea Matteo Fontana said that the EU looks at civil society institutions as effective stakeholders in the development process, noting that they can contribute to creating valuable policies that play an important role in enhancing human rights, democracy and sustainable development.

The ambassador added that the EU project, titled “Together, we can”, aims at enhancing the participation of civil society institutions in promoting values of mutual interest and improving dialogue among all stakeholders.