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Family honour

Jul 19,2017 - Last updated at Jul 19,2017

Although so-called honour crimes still occur in the country despite all efforts to curb this practice, the Ministry of Social Development is yet to open a projected shelter for women whose lives are in danger due to “family honour”.

The regulations for the centre were published in the Official Gazette last December, but the ministry is still looking for a venue to house the shelter.

Why is it so hard to find a suitable building until now? 

Currently, women in danger due to so-called family honour are placed in “protective custody” at the correctional facilities, where they are held as detainees rather than as victims, sometimes for an indefinite period of time.

They are virtually in prison, unable to lead their normal lives and unable to regain their freedom of movement from incarceration without the governor's consent.

Females fearing retributions from their close relatives are treated as offenders or criminals, instead of being treated as victims of grave injustices brought on by social traditions that continue to put the life and liberty of females at the discretion of their male relatives and — what is worse — in cooperation with the authorities.

The plight of these women does not even end with the establishment of a shelter for them. The solution lies in something deeper.

Around 20 women are murdered annually for reasons related to so-called family honour in Jordan.

Whether held in shelters or correctional facilities, women must not lose their basic human rights to live freely and with dignity.

Such victims of unfair traditions  must not lose their humanity simply because a family member decides on his own that his female relative has “dishonoured the family”.

The authorities must not aid and abet in the perpetuation of such a grave violation of human rights for much longer.

Though opening a shelter is a welcome move, more serious work is needed to address the cause of the problem rather than its results.

 

Government and civil society must work together to effect deep change in social norms and change this simplistic perception of family honour.

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