Save the Children Jordans launches child’s protection programme

AMMAN — Under the patronage of the Princess Basma Bint Talal, Save the Children Jordan delved into various aspects relating to child vagrancy, at the closure event of its “Off the Streets - Promoting the Rights of Children in Street Situations” project.

The project initiated by Save the Children Jordan and the Justice Centre for Legal Aid, and funded by the European Union, aims to analyse the legal and institutional framework for children living on the streets.

In her address, HRH Princess Basma, honourary president of Save the Children Jordan, underscored the need to create effective programmes and interventions that ensure children are permanently taken off the streets, protecting them from being involved again in vagrancy.

For her part, Save the Children Jordan CEO, Diala Khamra, said: “Save the Children Jordan seeks to make a radical change in the lives of children through its interventions and projects.”

She added that children involved in vagrancy are exposed to daily life risks and ultimately to the risks of becoming victims of exploitation and trafficking.

Save the Children has been working in Jordan since 1974, with a focus on the most vulnerable children and families. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the organisation’s presence in the Kingdom.

Speaking during the event, Minister of Social Development Wafaa Bani Mustafa pointed that the ministry, in partnership with other relevant institutions and partners, is committed to make maximum efforts to protect children from being exploited, address prevention and suppression of the phenomenon, and to deal with the issue more effectively for the welfare of children who are usually found on the crossroads and streets, but somehow remain invisible to the society.

While speaking about the rights of children in Jordan, the minister mentioned the Palestinian children, particularly in the war-torn Gaza Strip ,who are subjected to “the worst types of crimes and collective punishment”. Noting that all children are supposed to be placed in safe spaces and environments, not on the streets where they are exposed to all kinds of dangers.

Furthermore, Save the Children gave a short insight into the realities lived by children who are engaged in begging. In addition to sharing the insights and recommendations of its recent studies including its study titled “ Children Exploited in Begging”.

“Calling for new or amended laws and regulations is not always the solution…the real problem might be in the implementation process which includes the judicial and institutional interpretation..” according to the Executive Director of the Justice Centre for Legal Aid Hadeel Abdul Aziz, who noted that the Social Development Ministry is not the only authority responsible for addressing the child begging phenomenon in the Kingdom. There should rather be a shared societal responsibility.

“The Jordanian jurisdictions deal with children involved in begging as victims of exploitation not as criminals.” She added.