Submitted by Crintern on
This report is part of CRIN's access to justice for children project, looking at the status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in national law, the status of children involved in legal proceedings, the legal means to challenge violations of children’s rights and the practical considerations involved in challenging violations.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has been ratified by Jordan, as has the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the involvement of children in armed conflict. International treaties take precedence of national law in Jordan and, as such, the CRC is directly enforceable in the courts. Children are permitted to bring cases before the courts directly if they are over 15 years of age, or may do so through a parent or guardian otherwise. Legal aid provided by the State is not available; there are, however, some dedicated NGOs that provide legal assistance to children coming into contact with the justice system and their families. Jordan is currently home to a large number of refugees from Palestine, Iraq and Syria as conflict rages on in the region; the majority of Palestinian refugees have been granted Jordanian citizenship but those refugees that have arrived in recent years do not enjoy the same legal status and rights as Jordanian citizens leaving refugee children at a detriment whenever they come into contact with the justice system.
