JNCW urges amendments to women’s rights legislation

AMMAN — The Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) on Sunday met with the Lower House’s legal and women and family affairs committees in the presence of several civil society organisations to discuss amendments to the temporary Personal Status Law (No. 36 of 2010). 

During the discussion, JNCW Secretary General Salma Nims highlighted that all amendments proposed by the commission are based on the Jordanian Constitution and other national legislation, in addition to several international conventions and treaties previously ratified by the government. 

In accordance with Article 6/5 of the Constitution, which stipulates that all children shall be protected from abuse and exploitation, the JNCW proposed amendments on Article 10 (b) of the Personal Status Law aimed at raising the minimum age for marriage in special cases to 16, stressing that “allowing a marriage at the age of 15 translates into health, social and psychological abuse of the victims, contradicting the provisions of the Jordanian Constitution”.

The request was echoed by the Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI) in a statement issued on Monday, in which the organisation proposed amendments to the same article, stressing that “the political administration’s objection to the marriage of minors should be translated into real action on the ground”.

In this regard, the institute demanded changes to the text of Article 10 in order to raise the minimum age for marriage in special cases to 16, in addition to the allocation of a six month period before the celebration of the marriage after its approval by the judge.

The statement also called for amendments on the article to prevent the marriage between two minors, as well as the marriage of minors who have been married before. 

Regarding divorce cases regulated by Article 155, the JNCW proposed amendments aimed at allocating an equal share of the patrimony collected during the marital life for women, stressing “the right of women to preserve their dignity after a long-term marriage”.

Concerning the regulations on child custody stipulated on Article 223, the commission suggested that the mother shall have the priority on the custody of her children, expressing that “it is inconceivable for the law to exclude the mother's jurisdiction on her children”.

In addition, the JNCW noted the need for amendments to article 279 aimed at achieving equality in the inheritance rights of sons and daughters, stressing that “discrimination in this case is unjustified”.