Jordan completes human rights review before council’s evaluation

AMMAN — Director of the Prime Ministry’s Human Rights Department, Khalil Abdallat, announced on Thursday that Jordan has completed its human rights review in preparation for evaluation by the Human Rights Council.

Speaking at a meeting organised by Hayat Centre (RASED) for journalists, Abdallat underscored the important role of this international mechanism in the protection and advancement of human rights, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

He noted that Jordan’s review involved “substantial” feedback, with around 100 countries offering 279 recommendations, where Jordan has accepted 196.

The director commended the collaborative interaction across government agencies, civil society, and media stakeholders, describing it as “model to be followed worldwide”.

Abdallat said that Royal directives have resulted in significant reforms in political, economic, and administrative systems, as well as in public sector modernisation.

He added that these initiatives included substantial legislative reviews, such as evaluating the cybercrime law and amending information access laws to boost Jordan’s human rights framework.

Abdallat outlined the comprehensive nature of the review documents, which cover civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the rights of women, children, persons with disabilities, and refugees.

Legislative updates such as the Human Trafficking Prevention Law and the establishment of an e-platform for human rights complaints monitoring underscore the ongoing enhancements in Jordan’s legal and administrative sectors, the director noted.

RASED Executive Director Amr Nawaiseh referred to the significance of the universal periodic review in enhancing Jordan’s human rights landscape, describing the forum as a first step towards launching the national human rights strategy, aimed at addressing the recommendations from the 2024 review.