On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, Solidarity Is Global Institute-JO (SIGI) held a policy dialogue seminar at its headquarters under the title: “The State of Personal Status Laws in Jordan.” The seminar aimed to bridge legislative protection tools with practical applications in pursuit of family justice that respects rights and keeps pace with societal changes.

The seminar is part of the “Policy Dialogue” program implemented by SIGI to create spaces for institutional discussion with specialists and decision-makers, with the goal of reviewing the legislative reality of the Jordanian family from a comprehensive human rights and societal perspective.

In her welcoming remarks, Mrs. Nuha Mahriz, President of SIGI, emphasized the importance of such dialogue sessions, which allow for the exchange of experiences and perspectives on core issues affecting women and children. She pointed out that the Policy Dialogue program serves as a platform to explore public policies that impact justice and equality.

Legal attorney Mrs. Samar Jabra, from SIGI’s legal team, presented a paper on the evolution of personal status laws in Jordan, beginning with the Ottoman Family Rights Law of 1917, through various legal developments, up to contemporary legislation. The paper highlighted key amendments to the law, such as setting a minimum age for marriage, compensating for arbitrary divorce, establishing the Alimony Lending Fund, and implementing pre-marital education programs.

The presentation also addressed the concept of balanced equality between spouses, which preserves individual rights while respecting family roles. Jabra stressed the importance of developing legislation that ensures the protection of women and children, reflecting ongoing social and economic transformations.

The paper further reviewed a proposed amendment to the Sharia Execution Law of 2025, which seeks to enhance family justice through the introduction of modern mechanisms, such as electronic monitoring, and expanding enforcement to include alimony, custody, visitation rights, and financial obligations related to inheritance.

In another intervention, Her Honor Judge Christine Fadoul, an Appeals Judge at the Orthodox Roman Court, spoke about the 2023 Christian Family Law, approved by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. She emphasized that the new law is grounded in principles of complementarity and equality in the Holy Bible and grants equal rights to both spouses in financial and personal matters, while taking into account the best interests of children and the dignity of women. She also reviewed articles related to marriage age, divorce and separation, financial compensation, child custody, and alimony—stating that the law marks a significant step toward comprehensive family justice.

The seminar concluded with an open dialogue between attendees and guest speakers, discussing real-life courtroom experiences and exploring ways to develop laws that ensure effective protection of women’s and children’s rights.

It is worth noting that the Policy Dialogue initiative is part of advocacy and lobbying activities within the "Masahat Amineh – Policies to Combat Violence in Environment and World" project, implemented by SIGI with support from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF).