Attendants: Procedures for handling urgent and dangerous cases should be reviewed, protection should be provided for family violence cases following delivery of services
07-21-2016
Supported by UNICEF, NCFA held a specialized workshop to discuss and examine the deaths resulting from family violence cases with a view to draw lessons and introduce new operational procedures to address the shortcomings of the system in line with the methodology of the National Framework for Family Protection against Family Violence.
According to NCFA Secretary-General Fadel Al-Hmoud, the workshop aims to draw lessons and come up with executive procedures to bridge the gaps based on the methodology of the National Framework, particularly as the framework was updated and endorsed by the Prime Ministry Decision on 4/5/2016 to serve as a national reference document for the management of family violence cases which defines roles and responsibilities of the relevant institutions, Al-Hmoud said.
NCFA is seeking to review the family protection system under the directives of HM Queen Rania Al-Abdullah (Chair of NCFA Board of Trustees) who attended the framework's launch ceremony in 14/3/2016 and stressed the need to address all legal, social and coordinative gaps found in the system as she has lately seen a substantial regression in the current system, added AL-Hmoud.
HM the Queen also underlined the importance of effecting accountability whereby each entity bears its responsibilities and collaborates with others as one team, noting the significance of adhering to the rule of law and promoting social culture on the dangers of family violence if we want Jordan to remain a leading country in its protection of the family and child.
The workshop organized upon the initiative of the National Team for Family Protection against Violence addressed a number of gaps that were investigated by the Fact Finding Committee established to look into several cases of child deaths resulting from violence. During discussions, participants came up with a set of recommendations, most importantly the need to obligate institutions working in this area to abide by the case management methodology and procedures specified in the National Framework and to hold the instant response meeting to study the case and set immediate necessary interventions to provide the needed protection. Recommendations also included the need to review and amend management procedures for handling urgent and dangerous cases and provide protection for family violence cases during delivery of service; the need to review and amend the coordination, referral, and follow-up procedures among institutions; the need to implement specialized training programs to build the capacities of all partners involved in the family protection system. Attendants also stressed the need to develop a risk assessment form to be adopted by all partners determining each case's risk indicators and levels based on a holistic study of the status of the family and its members and commit all relevant institutions to apply it to determine the degree of risk in each case.
On her part, Dr. Sawsan AL-Majali, Vice-President of the National Team and the Secretary-General of the Higher Population Council, underscored the role of the National Team in supervising and overseeing the implementation of national directives and policies pertaining to family protection and the commitment of national institutions to them as their reference documents during the preparation of their institutional plans in this area by virtue of the "National Team for Family Protection Bylaw" No. 33 for the year 2016.
It is to be noted that the National Framework was updated under the supervision of the National Team and aimed at the definition of roles, responsibilities and jurisdictions of governmental and non-governmental institutions concerned with family violence cases in a manner that ensures coordination and complementarity of efforts. The Framework was endorsed by the Prime Ministry on 4/5/2016 to serve as a reference document for the management of family violence cases ensuring the commitment of all relevant entities to their mandatesa
