Launching a workshop on integrating human rights standards into court oversight

The Amman Center for Human Rights Studies is part of a workshop on the integration of human rights standards in oversight of courts. The National Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law “Istiklal” in Palestine held the workshop in partnership with the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies, with the UN program Sawasya and with the support of the United Nations Development Program in Palestine. The program is conducted by the Italian international expert Francesco de Sanctis in Amman during three days. The workshop aims to broaden knowledge of the standards applicable to court oversight and to teach how to make practical use of a wide range of international human rights standards in order to support the findings of court oversight and ensure that findings and analyzes are translated into concrete, actionable recommendations.

At the beginning of the workshop, Mr. Majed Al-Arouri welcomed the participants in the workshop, thanked the sponsors of the United Nations Development Program and stressed the importance of cooperation with the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies. Furthermore, he congratulated the ACHRS for winning the United Nations Human Rights Prize 2023. He stressed the importance of this recognition, given the fact that the ACHRS is the first human rights organization in the Arab World to receive this prize. The award is therefore an international recognition of the Center’s efforts of spreading and promoting the concepts of human rights in Jordan and the Arab world for a quarter century.

Mrs. Amal Al-Shawahneh, a member of the Scientific Council of the Amman Center, welcomed the participants, facilitators, and supporters. She also thanked the National Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary in Palestine for their continuous cooperation with the ACHRS. She stated that integrating human rights standards in the oversight of courts are particularly important, as it has an impact on expanding the scope of knowledge of mechanisms and standards human rights in the courts.

The opening session concluded with a speech by Mrs. Ataf Al-Masri, the Sawasiya Program in Palestine, stressing the importance of the cooperation of the National Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary in Palestine with the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies in order to promote human rights in the region. Furthermore, he called for the harmonization of local laws in accordance with international human rights standards and for continued cooperation in the future.

It is noteworthy that this activity comes in the context of a series of activities in which the ACHRS cooperates with partner organizations in the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The last activity constituted a symposium about international standards for free and fair elections.