JORDAN: HUMAN RIGHTS STRATEGY 2004-2005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000627

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM ELAB KDEM PGOV PREL JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: HUMAN RIGHTS STRATEGY 2004-2005

REF: 04 STATE 267453


1. Post is providing the following report as requested in
reftel.

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Human Rights Strategy 2004-2005
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2. The Government of Jordan's respect for human rights
remained satisfactory during the year. A human rights
commission established by King Abdullah in 2003 continues to
expand its activities and has taken an active role in public
discussions. The King charged the new Government appointed in
October 2004 to focus on administrative reforms in order to
provide a bureaucratic environment better equipped to advance
human rights. While the Government continues to publicly
promote social and political reform, there is still a lack of
progress in many areas. Members of the security forces
sometimes act with impunity, and there are still restrictions
on freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association. While
citizens participated in the political process through their
elected representatives to Parliament, they did not have the
right to change their government. Societal discrimination
against and restrictions on the rights of women continued to
be problems.


3. The U.S. human rights and democracy strategy promotes the
rule of law and legal reform, civil society development,
civic participation in the political process and women's
rights. The United States did this through direct dialogue
with the Jordanian Government at all levels, as well as
programs, training and the publication of reports on human
rights, labor, and religious freedom.


4. The United States advanced its strategy by building on
Jordanian government initiatives to strengthen human rights.
Post continues to work with the quasi-independent National
Center for Human Rights and the Human Rights Directorate at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A grant from the State
Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
provided training on international human rights law and
practice to Directorate officials as well as to members of
the Ministries of Education, Justice, and Interior. Members
of the police, military and the National Center for Human
Rights were also included. Most of the professional military
education provided in the United States to Jordanian
personnel included a human rights component.


5. The U.S. Agency for International Development continues to
support public sector reform efforts in Jordan. In the area
of rule of law, two new programs were launched in 2004 to
assist the Ministry of Justice to implement its reform
strategy, which was developed last year with U.S. support.
Programming includes the development of a judicial code of
conduct, complete with implementation mechanisms; support for
alternative dispute resolution, in order to reduce the
courts' workload; automation of the country's case management
system, which has greatly improved efficiency and
transparency; human resources capacity building at the
Ministry and courts; and a comprehensive program to establish
the Judicial Institute of Jordan as a regional leader in
judicial education. The overall goals of the programs are to
assist Jordan to achieve its stated desire for greater social
and political reform through increased citizen participation.
In the coming year, additional U.S. assistance will include
programs that strengthen the legislative process, assist
civil society to become a stakeholder in reform, and programs
to support a free, independent and professional local media
sector.


6. U.S. exchange programs for judges and judicial personnel
have focused on helping Jordan reform its trial and pre-trial
procedures for a more prompt and fair delivery of justice.
The exchange programs included bringing Jordanian judges to
the United States, where they observed U.S. courts and were
provided with training. Follow-on activities will continue in
Jordan. Post also funded a regional conference of women
lawyers and judges to promote women's rights through more
effective representation in the judiciary.


7. The United States promoted broader participation in the
political process, particularly among women. In July, 11
members of parliament and two parliament staffers visited the
United States on a program focusing on the role of
legislators in the democratic process. Post executed a grant
agreement with a local non-governmental organization to
provide a series of workshops on enhancing the performance of
female members of parliament and women leaders. Through the
Middle East Partnership Initiative the United States has
funded a Freedom House campaign against family violence. The
campaign has included awareness-raising workshops held in
universities and local communities throughout Jordan. In
December, post commemorated the anniversary of signing of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights by hosting a panel
discussion of women activists on the issue of gender violence
in Jordan. The event was well attended and received positive
press coverage.


8. The United States sought to promote media independence and
professionalism through a conference on press freedom held in
April. The objective of the conference, organized by the
Committee for the Defense of the Freedom of Journalists, was
to inform members of parliament and government officials
about the concerns of journalists regarding their rights and
responsibilities. In June the Embassy held a conference on
women in the media that promoted public awareness of women's
rights.


9. The United States tracked and reported on religious
freedom cases, and U.S. officials discussed individual cases
with Jordanian counterparts at the highest levels. The United
State hosted four members of the Jordanian Interfaith
Coexistence Research Center to participate in an
international visitor program on religious tolerance.


10. All assistance under the U.S. Agency for International
Development's diverse program portfolio integrated the
crosscutting themes of gender equality, youth,
anti-corruption, and support for the protection of
disenfranchised segments of the population.


11. The United States maintained dialogue with key actors in
the labor sector, including union leaders, International
Labor Organization officials, industrial park managers,
factory owners and government representatives. On several
occasions U.S. officials discussed with the Government
implementation of Jordan's international commitments to fight
child labor and trafficking.

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Addendum - Programs Valued at Over $100,000
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12. USAID Democracy and Governance Support Program
($8,860,000): USAID funded ABA-CEELI, DPK Consulting, RTI and
numerous local service providers to support the Government of
Jordan's efforts to reform and modernize its justice sector.
The goal of USAID's governance portfolio is to support the
ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Justice to promote
systemic rule of law reform, foster grassroots reform through
municipal empowerment, strengthen the capacity of the
legislature as a representational body of Jordanian citizens,
assist civil society to become a stakeholder in reform, and
facilitate the emergence of a free, independent, and
professional media.


13. Campaign Against Family Violence ($500,000): A
MEPI-funded program implemented by the American
non-governmental organization Freedom House in cooperation
with several Jordanian partners. The program seeks to raise
the awareness of family violence in Jordan through workshops
at universities and local communities.


14. Strengthening the Social Partners Capacity for Promotion
of Social Dialogue in Jordan ($1,390,000): The U.S.
Department of Labor funded this multi-year program from
November 2001 to October 2004. The project supported the
application of the International Labor Organization's
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and
promoted social dialogue. The project also sought to
strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Labor to promote
and apply core labor standards.


15. National Program for the Prevention and Elimination of
Child Labor in Jordan ($1,000,000): The U.S. Department of
Labor funds this multi-year project to eliminate child labor
in Jordan. Project duration is from September 2002 to January
2007 and seeks to strengthen the capacity of key institutions
to address child labor issues and to raise awareness about
the negative consequences of child labor.


16. International Military Education and Training (IMET)
($2,500,000): The U.S. Department of Defense funded IMET
training in the United States to officers in the Jordanian
military. This training exposed students to U.S. judicial and
governmental institutions and includes discussions and course
modules on respect for human rights.


17. Educating for Democracy in the Muslim World ($900,000):
The U.S. Department of State funded Street Law, Inc. and the
Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy to develop a
democracy education program targeting civil society in
Jordan, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco.
HALE