SRSG Najat Maalla M’jid concludes mission to Jordan with call for unified response to end violence against children

During the visit, Dr. Najat met children, youth, women and communities who are being empowered to exercise their rights and participate in a violence-free environment for all children, as well as consulting with Government, non-governmental organizations, civil society, international agencies and donors..

Concluding her mission, Dr. Najat highlighted that in 2022, the Government of Jordan will submit its second Voluntary National Review (VNR) on SDGs at the High-Level Political Forum and the Amman Voluntary Local Review (VLR) – the first VLR in Arab region. Those Voluntary Reviews are a critical part of the accountability architecture for the SDGs.

Reporting on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an excellent opportunity to assess progress made in ending violence against children and to move away from silo and unsustainable approaches and implement an integrated system, including child, gender, disability sensitive social and child protection  services, parenting support, access to safe learning, healthcare including mental health, as well as justice. This integrated approach echoes the interdependence of children’s rights and of the SDGs.

“Investing in children’s protection, development and wellbeing cannot wait. Investing in children is essential for building an inclusive, peaceful, just and resilient society that keeps children safe from harm and leaves no one behind,” said Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, SRSG on Violence against Children.

The Secretary General of the National Council for Family Affairs, Dr. Mohammad Fakhri Makdadi, stressed on the urgent need for  the endorsement of Child’s Rights Law, which will enable Jordan to fulfil its international legal obligation under  Convention on the Rights of the Child as well it will further enable Jordan to address existing legislative gaps that have emerged in the mechanisms of granting the rights to children.”

“We need to protect children and young people from harm. All violence against children is preventable. The Government has committed itself to prepare the Voluntary National Review (VNR) for presentation at the High-Level Political Forum in July 2022, which is a key opportunity to identify ways to accelerate the Sustainable Development Agenda and children’s rights while “building forward better,” Said Anders Pedersen the UN Resident and Humanitarian for the UN in Jordan.

“The SRSG-VAC’s mission has reinforced the importance of making ending the prevalence of violence against children a whole of Government and whole of society priority,” said Tanya Chapuisat, Representative, UNICEF Jordan. “Investing in the protection of younger generations will allow future generations to flourish, allowing children to grow into healthy and productive adults.”