Jordan projects work for rights of detainees, stronger independent investigative reporting

An UNDEF project in Jordan works to improve effective representation for detainees so as to ensure their human rights are respected. Implemented by Justice Center for Legal Aid, the project seeks to bring holistic change on all levels of engagement through capacity enhancement, awareness-raising and provision of legal services.  UNDEF Senior Project Officer Christian Lamarre visited the project in October 2021, participating in a project workshop on best practices in pre-trial rights -- focusing on inspection and investigation procedures, arrest and search guidelines, gender-sensitive approaches, interview skills with more vulnerable groups, and overall, the complementarity of duty lawyers’ and police officers’ work.

Christian Lamarre also met with an UNDEF Jordan project to strengthen independent media and expand the ecosystem of investigative reporting, thus building good governance and accountability. Implemented by Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, the project works to equip aspiring journalists from governorates across Jordan with skills to report on accountability and governance on the ground. It develops policy papers on governance and accountability, which, along with the journalists’ reports, are discussed in local debates to raise media and public awareness, ultimately encouraging change.