Empowering Gender-Based Violence Service Providers in Jordan

Despite recent legislative and policy reforms, violence against women and girls in Jordan is widespread. According to the Jordanian Population and Health Survey in 2017- 2018, nearly 26% of men are physically, sexually, or emotionally violent to their partners. Approximately 69% of men surveyed agreed that hitting their wife is justifiable in certain circumstances. So despite recent government attempts to strengthen the legislative framework, policy, and practice around gender-based violence (GBV), the existing data and anecdotal evidence demonstrate these reforms are not yet effective, leaving women and girls in Jordan exposed to extraordinarily high levels of coercive control, and physical, emotional, sexual, and financial violence. This violence is often perpetrated in their homes by male family members who exert power that is enshrined in the country’s guardianship laws and reinforced by long held social and cultural norms. GBV remains vastly under reported, with survivors reluctant to seek help due in part to social stigma, discriminatory laws, limited services, and lack of awareness of existing services. It was in this context that, in March 2020, COVID-19-related lockdowns were introduced, trapping women and girls with their abusers, closing shelters, and limiting the ability of service providers to reach those in need.

With support from the U.S. Department of State’s Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI), the Women and Girls Empowered (WAGE) consortium, led by the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), launched the Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence in Jordan  initiative in October 2020 to support civil society-led efforts to strengthen the provision of individualized, client-centered, and trauma-informed services to women and girls experiencing or at risk of GBV. Implemented in partnership with Solidarity Is Global Institute (SIGI), Family Guidance and Awareness Center (FGAC), and eight community-based organizations (CBOs), WAGE Jordan supported capacity strengthening activities, the delivery of GBV services, and community outreach. The program closed in June 2022, having provided capacity strengthening to 40 GBV case managers, psychologists, and lawyers; delivered services to 1,361 women and girls experiencing GBV; and supported six community outreach campaigns.

On June 29, 2022, ABA ROLI hosted an end-of-project panel discussion with partners SIGI and FGAC. It was an opportunity for partners to speak directly to donors and implementing partners and share program achievements, lessons learned, and outline priorities in GBV response in Jordan going forward. This blog shares some of the main highlights of that discussion in the hope that others may learn from, leverage off, and build on the WAGE Jordan initiative accomplishments.

"The program’s [capacity strengthening] techniques and methods were different than any other…I have attended. [It] was not only implemented in a style of receiving information but helped us exchange experiences with partner associations. The training facilitation was excellent and unique.” - CBO GBV Case Worker

Capacity Strengthening

The initiative’s capacity strengthening activities were iterative in their design, responsive to partner’s needs, and each one building on the last. These capacity strengthening activities included safeguarding implementation workshops and trainings on case management, local GBV reporting mechanisms, outreach, and communications. Although SIGI and FGAC are leaders in providing GBV services in Jordan, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in their ability to manage cases, provide survivor-centered legal representation, engage the community on addressing GBV, and safeguard their clients. ABA ROLI worked closely with them at the program’s onset to identify their capacity strengthening needs. The capacity strengthening built upon the partner’s existing expertise by designing highly participatory activities, with partners engaged in their design and delivery. Participants were encouraged and supported to share their experience with each other and ask one another for guidance. This extended beyond the workshop or training room through mentoring provided by SIGI and FGAC to CBO partners. This approach not only supported learning outcomes but also helped strengthen existing networks among groups and establish new linkages.

"As a result of participating in the program and attending the different training courses, the CBOs capacities have been built, they have broadened their networks and have started referring cases to other organizations. This is a step forward towards joining forces and collaboration between organizations in different geographical locations and governorates.” - CSO partner

Network Building

Through the capacity building and other initiative activities, partners were able to build new networks or strengthen their existing networks with other GBV service providers. Partners all highlighted the importance of these networks as they not only support peer learning but are crucial for safe referrals of cases, ensuring that women across Jordan have access to a wide range of services. As a result of new connections, 40% of service providers reported a new referral during the initiative’s implementation. Jordan’s civil society plays a vital role in GBV service provision and strengthening its networking improves the quality and scope of service provision. Increased civil society coordination will also support advancements in the legal and policy framework, and stronger community outreach. At the same time, partners made very clear that they need the emotional and psychological support that these networks and increased coordination can offer. The networks created through the program provided the service providers formal technical support for managing cases as well as informal emotional support with the emotional toll that can sometimes come with their work.