Christine Faddoul, Jordan NCHR
January 2008: Over 370 young offenders have benefited from a two year trial of ‘restorative justice’ in Jordan. Christine Faddoul, a lawyer with the JNCHR, has helped implement this exciting reform.
More than 370 young people in Jordan have been diverted away from reform centres as part of a successful two year trial using ‘restorative justice’ to address and respond to minor offences.
“Each year in Jordan more than 5,000 young people are in conflict with the law – many are for very small things,” says Christine Faddoul, a lawyer with the Jordan National Centre for Human Rights (JNCHR).
“We know that many children who go to a reform centre then go on to repeat their crimes or do more serious crimes. So the current system is doing them no good. It is also a burden on the courts.”
Restorative justice is a process that brings young offenders together with the victims of their crime, along with family members, police and others, to make amends for their actions through discussion and conciliation. The young person is held accountable for what they have done but diverted away from the formal criminal justice system.
“When a young person comes to the police and the courts for the first time, it can be a major stigma in his life. Restorative justice can help transform their life, make them responsible for their actions and keep them in school and the community,” said Christine.
“Detention should come as a last resort and for the shortest possible period,” she added.
Jordan is one of the first Arab countries to trial restorative justice with young offenders. Initially there was criticism that the approach was a ‘European’ idea and not appropriate for Jordan.
However, Christine was keen to stress its local roots. “We said to them that this is an Islamic idea – ‘shura’ which means ‘consultation’. After we explained it this way, people liked the idea.”
The restorative justice project ran between 2005 and 2007 and was led by the JNCHR, in partnership with a coalition of government and non-government organisations.
It involved training 120 social workers, law enforcement officers and judges in restorative justice techniques, establishing judicial and police units specialising in children’s issues and developing a comprehensive proposal to guide reform of Jordan’s juvenile justice system, which is currently being considered by the Bureau of Legislation.
“We will now put all our efforts in to advocating for the draft law. After all, everybody wants our children to have a better future,” says Christine.
Before joining the JNCHR four years ago, Christine was an activist with a leading women’s rights group. She is still motivated by a strong desire to make a difference for others.
“I have a passion for working with all sorts of vulnerable groups – people with a disability, the elderly and young people, of course.
“I love this work – but there is always too much to do,” she says. “Today my daughter is phoning and asking for an appointment to see me!”
