Amman, Dec. 8 (Petra) -- The regional conference organized by UN Women for the Arab States under the theme "From Pledge to Action to fulfill Beijing + 30 Review Commitments in the Arab States: Sharing Knowledge on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls" convened Monday in Amman.

The two-day conference brings together government officials, legal and political experts, service providers from Arab countries, regional organizations, UN agencies, and development partners. Its objective is to promote mutual learning and the exchange of experiences and best practices to advance reforms aimed at ending violence against women and girls in private, public, and digital spaces, in conjunction with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Social Development and Chair of the Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment, the Ministry’s Secretary-General Barq Dhamour said during the opening session that violence against women impacts not only women but society as a whole, which loses the contributions of half its active workforce. This underscores the need to reinforce relevant policies and preventive measures.

Dhamour highlighted that, based on Jordan’s international commitments and His Majesty King Abdullah II’s political, economic, and administrative modernization visions, Jordan has implemented extensive legislative and institutional reforms in recent years. These include constitutional amendments; the development of election, political party, labor, social security, and corporate legislation; the strengthening of the social protection system; the launch of the second National Action Plan for UN Security Council Resolution 1325; the Women’s Empowerment Strategy within the Economic Modernization Vision; the National Women’s Strategy; and the National Reproductive Health Strategy.

He noted that Jordan has outlined its national priorities for the next five years regarding the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. These priorities include promoting equality and non-discrimination; strengthening protection systems and eliminating violence against women and girls, including digital violence; advancing media discourse; supporting women’s economic empowerment and labor force participation; and enhancing social protection.

Dhamour stressed that regional and international cooperation, alongside the exchange of best practices in women’s empowerment, enhances the ability of countries to develop effective and sustainable solutions, utilize successful experiences, and stimulate innovation in designing programs and initiatives that advance justice and sustainable development.

Secretary-General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women Maha Ali underscored the importance of holding this regional workshop, which will help facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices among Arab countries in strengthening protection systems addressing violence against women and girls.

Ali said the progress achieved in empowering Jordanian women and increasing their participation in political, economic, and social spheres has been driven by strong political will and royal visions reflected in supportive policies, legislation, and strategies.

She noted that last year Jordan completed its sixth comprehensive national review of progress on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+30), which enabled wide-ranging national consultations to assess progress and outline priorities for the next five years, including reducing violence against women and girls.

Secretary-General of the National Council for Family Affairs Mohammad Miqdadi stated that Jordan has developed advanced legislative, policy, and service frameworks related to family, women’s, and child protection, benefiting both Jordanian citizens and residents. He emphasized ongoing efforts to shift from policymaking to measurable impact by translating commitments into concrete services.

Miqdadi said the technical sessions aim not only to raise awareness but to design solutions. He stressed that awareness alone cannot prevent violence or ensure survivors’ access to shelter, fair trials, or economic compensation. The challenge, he noted, lies in transitioning from laws to implementation, from services to quality expansion, from funding to strategic investment, from data to effective policy, and from response to prevention.

UN Women Deputy Regional Director for the Arab States Janneke van der Graaff-Kukler‏ said that moving from pledges to implementation requires more than reaffirming commitments; it requires strengthening legislation, activating existing laws, and investing in survivor-centered services.

She noted that in the Arab region, progress depends on comprehensive legislation, well-trained judicial and security personnel, reliable data that reflects survivors’ realities, and multi-sectoral responses addressing all forms of violence, including digital abuse.

Conference sessions will address emerging challenges in combating violence against women and girls, including technology-facilitated violence. Participants will also review legal reforms, promising service models from the Arab region, and successful experiences from other countries to advance Beijing+30 commitments and support efforts to end violence against women and girls.

//Petra// AJ