Jordan: Regional seminar on juveniles in detention

Experts and officials from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar and the Palestinian Authority met in Jordan on 24 and 25 January at a regional seminar held to discuss issues relating to juveniles in detention. The seminar was organized by the ICRC delegation in cooperation with the Public Security Directorate and the Ministry of Social Development. Participants formed three working groups that examined, respectively, policy on juvenile offenders, international standards for the treatment of juveniles deprived of their liberty, and the health and psychological, educational and social environment of such detainees. One of the groups also considered possible alternatives to the incarceration of juveniles. ICRC legal and medical experts outlined the rules of international humanitarian law applicable to detained juveniles and the role and duties of medical staff dealing with juveniles in non-specialized places of detention. The UNICEF representative in Jordan talked about the social environment of juvenile offenders in relation to the pertinent international instruments.

At the closing session participants summed up the two days of intensive discussions and adopted several recommendations that are to be conveyed to the relevant authorities in their countries. They also called on the ICRC to organize similar workshops in the future to monitor the implementation of the recommendations.

The seminar, the first of its kind in the region, was held under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania, who was represented at the opening ceremony by Princess Aisha Bint El Hussein.