Jordan submits its response on rights watchdog report

The government on Sunday reiterated its firm commitment to the provisions of the constitution governing human rights in the Kingdom and vowed to carry them out through all of its institutions and enforce the rule of law "in all walks of life".

The Prime Ministry's Government Coordinator for Human Rights, Basel Tarawneh, said a government human rights coordination team would, in cooperation with the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR), begin conducting field tours of various governorates during the next three months to check first-hand about human rights conditions throughout the country. Speaking as he handed over the government's response to the Centre's 2013 report, Tarawneh said the cabinet would welcome "constructive cooperation and a participatory approach with the NCHR to take human rights to new heights in the service of Jordanians and comprehensive national development".

He also said that the government highly valued the watchdog's analysis of human rights in the country, as well as its interest in raising living conditions, along with the social, economic, political and cultural affairs of the citizens.

Tarawneh said the government's response, which represents the feedback of multiple national institutions on the report's recommendations, contained improvements already undertaken, as well as future strategies to promote human rights.

Human Rights Commissioner General Mousa Brezat, who received a copy of the government's response to the report, commended the government's participatory method, which he said would help to bolster the state of human rights in the country.

"We hope to reach a stage whereby all partners, including government, national rights agencies and civil society, would come together to speak with one language in a national accord on human rights and build a national system for the service of the citizens and society," added Brezat.

Also, head of the government committee that drafted the response, Culture Ministry Undersecretary Ahmad Rashed, spoke of "advanced steps made this year to promote rights in practical and legislative terms".