Amman, April 23 (Petra) - The National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA), in cooperation with the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) program, launched the results of a mid-term study on gender- and age-based violence affecting adolescents in Jordan, during a workshop held Wednesday in Amman.

The study, which surveyed around 3,000 adolescents aged 14 to 21, aims to provide scientific insight into the factors that increase vulnerability to violence and explore approaches to tackle domestic, community, school, and cyber violence, particularly in underserved and remote areas.

Participants from government institutions, UN agencies, and civil society organizations engaged in in-depth discussions on the study’s findings, which identified key determinants of violence and emphasized the need for targeted policies, programs, and legislation to address them.

NCFA Secretary-General Mohammed Miqdadi stressed the significance of the findings, highlighting the use of both statistical data and qualitative narratives to reveal the realities adolescents face.

He noted that a 2021 study conducted with UNICEF showed that 74.6 percent of children experienced physical violence, 58.3 percent psychological violence, 27.3 percent sexual violence, and 13.2 percent cyberbullying.

Miqdadi added that the NCFA, in cooperation with national and international partners, is developing a 2025–2030 national action plan for child protection, and the prevention and response to gender-based and domestic violence. The plan is rooted in data and tailored to the needs of youth.

GAGE Director Nicola Jones underscored the global influence of economic, geopolitical, social, and cultural factors in perpetuating violence against children. She called for updated programs, better resource allocation, and stronger accountability mechanisms to tackle the issue effectively.

GAGE, backed by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, is a long-term global research initiative involving over 20,000 adolescents worldwide, including approximately 4,000 Jordanians and refugees in Jordan. The program focuses on the well-being of young people and innovative strategies to combat gender- and age-based violence.

//Petra// AO

23/04/2025 14:19:10