Amnesty International criticized in a report published on Wednesday what it called the "collusion" of the Jordanian authorities with the "regime of male guardianship of women" and stressed that this system "controls the lives of women" And limit their personal freedoms. "
The report documents "how women accused of leaving the house without permission or having sex outside of marriage are at risk of arrest and humiliating virginity tests if male family members complain to the authorities." It also documents that “pregnant women outside marriage are forcibly removed from their newborn children”.
"The Jordanian government must urgently address these outrageous abuses against which national women´s organizations have been fighting for decades, starting with the excessive use of detention by governors," said Heba Morayef, director of the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office. To the discriminatory male guardianship system, which allows adult women to be arrested for leaving the home without permission. "
The organization called on the Jordanian authorities to redouble their efforts to protect women´s rights in cooperation with civil society organizations.
"The opening of a safe house is a positive step, which seems to have resulted in a reduction in the number of women held in so-called preventive detention and demonstrates the political will to protect women´s rights," said Mraif. Instead of criminalizing, punishing and marginalizing them. ”
