Media urged to build united stand against Article 308

AMMAN — HRH Princess Basma on Wednesday urged the local media to raise the level of debate on the controversial Article 308 of the Penal Code that allows rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victims.

“It is the role of the media to build a unified stand against Article 308 and to raise the level of debate to make it a public opinion issue,” Princess Basma told reporters on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the annual international campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which began on November 25.

She also urged reporters to build on the activities that were conducted during the 16-day campaign to follow up on the government’s actions in relation to Article 308 and other laws that still discriminate against women.

“I hope the press will take this opportunity to follow up with the government to either amend or cancel this article,” the princess said.

Article 308 of the Penal Code states that rapists are spared from punishment or legal prosecution if they marry their victims and stay with them for five years. 

Princess Basma said Egypt cancelled a similar provision a few years ago and Morocco followed suit this year.

“If these two countries were able to do it, I don’t see any reason why we cannot do it here as well in Jordan,” the princess said.

Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) Secretary General Salma Nims, who attended the meeting, said the general atmosphere in Jordan “is in favour of amending or cancelling Article 308”. 

“The women’s movement engaged in several dialogues with civil society on Article 308 and we met with the government and presented them with a list of demands that included cancelling it, but we still haven’t heard back from them,” Nims explained.

Nevertheless, she told reporters, the women’s movement, spearheaded by JNCW, visited deputies and presented them with the same list.

“We are lobbying MPs ahead of time so when the government hopefully complies with our demands, the deputies will have an idea about it and hopefully we can win their support,” Nims added.

She said the JNCW is in the process of drafting its 2015 strategy and the focus will be on young people and education.

“We plan to call on the government to revise school textbooks that are filled with stereotypical images of women and do not allow students to be creative or critical in their thinking,” Nims said.

Former head of the National Institute of Forensic Medicine Momen Hadidi said empowerment, education and enforcement are the keywords to make a difference in society.

“These are three main key factors,” said Hadidi, who is also an activist and consultant.