Human Trafficking in [Jordan] [other countries]
Street Children in [Jordan] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Jordan] [other countries]
 

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, located in SW Asia [map], is bordered by Israel (W), by Syria (N), by Iraq (NE), and by Saudi Arabia (E & S). Amman is its capital and largest city. With inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil, debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems.

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Jordan. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated, misleading or even false. No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

Quick Search for Missing Children - Select Gender, Country (Jordan), and Years Missing

U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

CHILD LABOR LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT - A Jordanian law specifically prohibits trafficking in children, and there is no indication that children were trafficked, to, from, or within the country. Inducing a girl under the age of 20 to engage in prostitution and inducing any child under the age of 15 to commit sodomy are prohibited. Sanctions for these offenses include imprisonment for up to 5 years and a fine.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2006 [DOC]

[92] The Committee regrets the lack of data on the extent and magnitude of commercial sexual exploitation of children and trafficking in children for exploitative purposes in the State party. It also regrets the insufficient legal protection of boys below the age of 18 against commercial sexual exploitation and the absence of a specific legal framework to protect children from trafficking.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2000

[61] The Committee is concerned at the insufficient data on and awareness of the phenomenon of commercial sexual exploitation of children in Jordan, and the absence of a comprehensive and integrated approach to prevent and combat it.

ECPAT: Fifth Report on implementation of the Agenda for Action [DOC]

[B] COUNTRY UPDATES – JORDAN – In regard to child trafficking, child prostitution and child pornography, available national statistics do not indicate the existence of these problems in Jordanian society. Nevertheless, a review of existing studies and police records shows that children of both sexes have been exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation by family members as well as by strangers. In response, draft legislation in Jordan contains articles to protect children from pornography, sexual exploitation and trafficking. A National Commission for Human Rights has also been formed to support legislative changes and the teaching of human rights to the Jordanian public.

There Is Still Insufficient Data And Little Awareness Of The Issue

There is still insufficient data and little awareness of the issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children in Jordan. Traditionally, the Jordanian position on the issue has been that there is no CSEC in Jordanian society and hence no need to develop a specific National Plan of Action. In recent years, media attention has increasingly focused on issues such as honor killings and child labor, but CSEC remains out of the spotlight.

5.1 Middle East - State of CSEC/ Attitudes toward CSEC [PDF]

While Israel, Jordan and Lebanon indicate a tacit willingness to address the issue, the majority of the countries in the region have not conducted research and deny the possibility that children are being sexually exploited for commercial purposes. Open discussions of sex related issues are regarded as a social taboo thus further explaining the lack of research and acknowledgement of CSEC. While the extent of child prostitution in the Middle East region is unknown, anecdotal evidence indicates that there is a large problem in selected areas of the region.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children - Middle East/North Africa region

These countries also have in common, however, a number of constraints that have hindered preparation of national plans of action. In all the countries of the region, there is cultural resistance to addressing the problem because the subject is largely taboo. Often the issue is dealt with more generally under headings such as ‘violence’ and ‘trauma’. This means that there has been no regional consensus on defining CSEC in law; in some countries, for example, it is looked upon as an indecent act, in others as rape, although in all 20 countries there is some section of the penal code that can be invoked against sexual abuse and exploitation.

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Human Trafficking in [Jordan] [other countries]
Street Children in [Jordan] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Jordan] [other countries]