Amman, Aug. 10 (Petra) – The Ministry of Social Development and Generations For Peace signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Monday to strengthen cooperation in social protection, psychosocial support, national staff capacity building, and the protection of adolescents and youth in the digital environment.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Social Development Minister Wafaa Bani Mustafa by the ministry's Secretary-General, Barq Dhamour, and Generations For Peace CEO Lama Hattab.

Bani Mustafa described the agreement as a practical step toward strengthening cooperation with Generations For Peace and expanding national partnerships in social protection, helping develop programs and practices that respond to evolving social needs.

She explained that social protection has evolved into an integrated system that extends beyond assistance and support to encompass social, economic, psychological and humanitarian dimensions, strengthening the ability of individuals, families and communities to cope with challenges, crises and shocks.

Bani Mustafa noted that the MoU falls within the framework of the National Social Protection Strategy, particularly its "Resilience" pillar, which focuses on strengthening society's and the national system's preparedness to confront and respond to crises and shocks.

She identified psychosocial support as a key component of community resilience, noting that the ministry is working to establish a specialized national system capable of responding to crises and disasters.

The ministry has established a database of male and female specialists in psychology, psychological counseling, sociology and related fields to form the national base for the National Team for Psychosocial Support and Humanitarian Assistance, she explained.

Bani Mustafa stressed that the partnership with Generations For Peace will support the national team's capacity through training, the development of guides and tools, and staff development, alongside efforts to establish unified professional standards and practices in psychosocial support.

The MoU will also strengthen efforts to protect adolescents and youth in the digital environment by raising awareness of digital risks, cyberbullying and online exploitation, while promoting digital citizenship and the safe and responsible use of cyberspace, she added.

She emphasized that the ultimate goal is to promote the well-being of individuals, families and communities and build a more resilient and effective social protection system capable of protecting vulnerable groups and strengthening the resilience of Jordanian society, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II.

For her part, Hattab noted that the MoU builds on the ongoing partnership between Generations For Peace and the Ministry of Social Development and underscores the importance of integrating the efforts of national institutions and civil society organizations to serve communities and strengthen their ability to address challenges.

She stressed that community work is a key pillar in building more cohesive and resilient societies, adding that Generations For Peace will draw on its expertise in capacity building, youth empowerment and community participation to support national efforts in these areas.

The MoU reflects the commitment of both sides to expanding cooperation and coordination and leveraging their expertise and resources to develop Jordan's social protection system and strengthen society's preparedness to address crises and challenges.

//Petra// AJ