AMMAN — A twinning project with the European Union launched on Sunday will enable the Ministry of Social Development to enhance services offered to vulnerable families, women and children, according to officials.
The 15-month “promoting the rights of vulnerable families, women and children” project, will be implemented by the ministry, benefiting from the expertise of Northern Ireland’s department of health and social services, according to stakeholders who launched of the project.
Social Development Minister Reem Abu Hassan told reporters that this “timely initiative” will provide the ministry with the opportunity to reform and modernise its services to promote and protect the rights of vulnerable groups.
She added that the project will enhance social services and provide the ministry with useful practices in addressing economic and social differences.
“We might be in different parts of the world, but there are similarities in the challenges we face,” Abu Hassan said, referring to Jordan’s partner, Northern Ireland.
These challenges, she said, include early intervention in the lives of most vulnerable children to achieve a better quality of living, preventing youths from getting into conflict with the law? and empowering persons with disabilities and children to play a more active role in society.
Speaking at the project’s launch ceremony, EU Ambassador to Jordan Joanna Wronecka said family values and care are equally important for Jordan and the societies of the EU.
“Promotion of human rights in general is at the centre of the EU’s relations with all strategic partners, including Jordan, and respect for human rights is emphasised under EU development assistance,” she said.
“This is important to highlight as the EU and Jordan entered the advanced status of cooperation in 2010,” Wronecka added.
She noted that the new twinning project is aimed at supporting the Ministry of Social Development in ensuring that vulnerable families equally benefit from Jordan’s growth and enhancing the quality of social services delivered by care centres across Jordan.
“Around 65 million Euros have been provided by the European Union since 2002 for these types of… partnerships with a variety of public institutions in Jordan,” the ambassador said.
British Ambassador to Jordan Peter Millett said the project will also link reforms to public services, which he said is a crucial move to improve services offered to the most vulnerable groups.
