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
