Children rights bill referred to joint parliamentary committee following debate

AMMAN — Debate over the draft children rights law for 2022 has caused concern among some MPs due to its importance in safeguarding children’s rights, prompting the Lower House referred the bill to the joint parliamentary women and family legal affairs committee. 

The House of Representatives held an extraordinary session on Wednesday to debate some bills, including the draft children rights law for 2022.

The MPs highlighted the draft’s importance in protecting children and addressing issues related to education, school dropout, kindergartens expansion, healthcare and protection from violence, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During the debate, some MPs stressed that international conventions should be reflected in the bill, particularly with regard to adoption and choice of religion.

Minister of State for Legal Affairs Wafa Bani Mustafa reassured the deputies that Jordan is “conservative” on articles 14, 20 and 21 of the International Convention, which relate to adoption and freedom of choice of religion.

Petra added that lawmakers stressed the need to “exercise diligence” in debating the bill’s articles and listen to all points of view, in a bid to ensure that religion-based values are not violated.

Director at the National Council for Family Affairs Mohammad Miqdadi expressed his confidence that everyone agrees on the importance of achieving children’s interests and rights, according to the National Council for Family Affairs Facebook page. 

Miqdadi added that over the past period, “we have witnessed some cases of violence on children in the family”. 

“This draft came to address these cases which require state intervention,” Miqdad said.  

“Investing in children is an investment in the country,” Hadil Abdulaziz, executive director of the Justice Centre for Legal Aid told The Jordan Times.

“We need to address real needs, gaps we have seen in education, health, the rights of children with disabilities and juvenile rehabilitation in addition to imbalances in the protection system,” he added.