Amman, Aug 24 (Petra) – A joint committee of the Senate, chaired by
head of the Health, Environment, and Population Committee Senator
Yassin Husban, on Monday discussed social, health, and security
matters related to the family protection system, and proposed
solutions.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani
Mustafa, Minister of Health Ibrahim Bdour, Senator Khawla Armouti,
head of the Women’s Committee, and Brig. Gen. Butai Al-Shishani,
Director of the Public Security Directorate’s Family and Juvenile
Protection Department.
Family protection is not limited to legal and security aspects, but
goes beyond to the psychological, physical, and social health of
family members, which requires concerted efforts by all institutions,
including the Ministries of Health and Social Development, alongside
the Senate’s oversight and legislative role, said Husban.
He stressed the key role of the Health Ministry in providing
comprehensive healthcare services, enhancing reproductive health,
family planning, and maternal and child health services, and
expanding mental health coverage through specialized psychiatric
clinics in primary care centers.
Husban also spoke of the need to provide psychological support to
women and families experiencing stress or domestic violence, in
coordination with relevant authorities.
He said healthcare providers should be the first point of contact in
identifying cases of domestic violence and provide emergency and
therapeutic care to survivors while ensuring confidentiality.
For her part, Armouti said protecting the family is a shared national
responsibility requiring the integration of roles among various
institutions and stakeholders.
Armouti, the head of the Senate’s Women’s committee, stressed the
need to enhance the family protection and counseling system to ensure
access to services across the Kingdom, training personnel, sustaining
social follow-up, and shifting from intervention after a problem
occurs to adopting more effective preventative policies.
Also addressing the committee, Bani Mustafa spoke about the
importance of a preventive and proactive approach to reducing
domestic violence.
The Social Development Minister said the ministry implements
psychological, social, and parenting support programs through 68
community development centers across the Kingdom. The programs target
children, women, and men, focusing on enhancing parenting skills,
anger management, and self-expression, thus addressing the root
causes of violence before they escalate, she said.
Bdour said the health sector plays a crucial role in detecting cases
of domestic violence, as doctors and nurses are often among the first
to notice signs of violence. The Health Minister stressed the
importance of training medical and nursing staff to recognize the
signs, injuries, and psychological indicators that may suggest a
person has been subjected to violence, and to respond appropriately.
He also stressed health and community awareness campaigns and
education to raise awareness of domestic violence and ways to prevent
it.
//Petra//SS
