Jordan's government, civil society join forces to strengthen Human Rights Framework

AMMAN — In collaboration with Plan International, the Prime Ministry's Human Rights Unit hosted a nationwide workshop on Friday to create a draft national plan for implementing the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights 2024's recommendations.

At the workshop's launch, Director of the Prime Ministry's Human Rights Department Khalil Abdallat noted that Jordan is still working toward His Majesty King Abdullah's vision, which is centred on establishing a state of law and upholding people's rights and freedoms, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He said that Jordan had ratified 204 of the 279 recommendations made by the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights, highlighting the significance of these measures in bolstering the state's human rights process, which advocates for determining national priorities through participation in order to address regional and economic issues and using teamwork to create a conducive environment for carrying out international commitments.

In order to apply the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights' recommendations, incorporate them into their plans and programmes, and give the Human Rights Unit all the tools it needs to follow up on them, the prime minister sent out a circular to all official organisations, he said.

According to Abdallat, the government has endeavoured to carry out the Royal vision by releasing a set of laws, procedures, and guidelines that support the advancement and fortification of the human rights framework and uphold international obligations.

He underlined that the workshop's goal is to match the review recommendations with national objectives, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the comprehensive national human rights plan, and the National Centre for Human Rights report. 

He emphasised the significance of establishing a timeline and precise measurement indicators to guarantee the intended outcomes and that ongoing evaluation will serve as the foundation for raising performance and increasing transparency.

Plan International's Country Director Hamida Jahama stressed the significance of the collaboration with the Prime Ministry's Human Rights Unit, which is an extension of the organisation's work with regional coalitions to support the Universal Periodic Review's 2024 recommendations.

She said that the goal of this collaboration is to boost civil society's contribution to Jordan's endeavours and pledges to build and modify the Kingdom's human rights framework, which has made significant strides in this area.

Since young men and women's involvement in national consultations related to the Universal Periodic Review demonstrates their awareness and commitment to human rights issues and advancing social justice in Jordan, Jahama emphasised the significance of involving, supporting, and empowering them to bring about long-lasting positive change in their communities.