Adolescent Reproductive Health, Including HIV/AIDS

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health conducted several campaigns raising
awareness on HIV/AIDS in cooperation with international agencies. Innovative and
appropriate IEC initiatives, applying appropriate and culturally sensitive approaches, aimed at young people are being implemented with increasing focus on adolescent Reproductive
Health/Sexual Health.

Girl’s Education

The National Population Strategy aims at: comprehensive basic education; increasing the rate of female enrolment in secondary and higher education; lowering illiteracy rates among women; and increase vocational training.

The Higher Commission of Education adopted the concept of reproductive health to be integrated into school curriculum and textbooks.

Education is compulsory until the age of 16. However, there is no legislation to enforce
the law or punish guardians for violating it.

Labour and Employment

Major provisions of the Labour Code include the general prohibition against the employment of minors under the age of 16, prohibition against dismissing pregnant women, the right of a woman worker to take one year's unpaid leave to rear her children with the right to reinstatement at the end of the year and maternity benefits (ten weeks' paid benefits).

Gender Issues

Article 306 of the 1960 Penal Code, amended in 2001, stipulates that persons who offer or solicit immoral activities or words to a minor under 15 years of age will be punished by no more than 6 months imprisonment and a fine. Eliminating gender-based violence (GVB) against adolescents has gained momentum, although the Government has not yet taken any specific steps to design a comprehensive plan of action.

Article 292-2 of the Penal Code punishes and protects adolescent girls under the age of 15 against rape, by applying the death penalty.

Article 304 of the Penal Code punishes and protects adolescents of 15 years of age who were tricked and induced to undergo intercourse by promising to marry, by applying 3months to 1-year imprisonment. The Penal Code, Article 310, punishes against child abuse. This includes adolescent girls under 18 years of age, and children under 15 years of age.

International Conventions

Jordan has ratified both the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Jordan expresses its reservation and does not consider itself bound by articles 14, 20 and 21 of the CRC, which grant the child the right to freedom of choice of religion and concern the question of adoption, since they are at variance with the precepts of the tolerant Islamic Shariah. It also does not consider itself bound by the articles 9 paragraph 2, 15 paragraph 4 (a wife's residence is with her husband), 16 paragraph 1c, relating to the rights arising upon the dissolution of marriage with regard to maintenance and compensation, and article 16, paragraphs 1d and 1g of CEDAW.

Youth Participation

While there are no specific policies on youth participation, projects such as the Princess Basma Youth Centers provide programmes aimed at empowering young people to participate more actively in their communities, and think creatively and critically about themselves and their roles in society.

Age at First Marriage

Under the 1976 New Family Law, amended in 2001, Article (5) provides that the minimum age of consent at marriage for both sexes is 18 years of age. The minimum age at marriage is 15 years of age with the permission of a judge and.

Article 279 of the 1960 Penal Code, amended in 2001, considers marriage of minors under 15 years of age, a crime punishable under the law.