Jordanian Society and Values

The Jordanian Society

• Sociologists attribute changes in social values and customs to several factors, the most prominent of which is the economic factor.
• Some have abandoned customs, traditions, and social principles, which constitute any society's social structure.
• These social changes have surfaced quickly, leaving negative sediments that Jordanians are not familiar with.
• Many citizens have disapproved of social phenomena, such as the increase in crime rates, which have become more brutal and inhuman.
• There is concern about the increasing number of foundlings, which is considered a catastrophe that could destroy the social fabric.
• Specialists should conduct social studies to determine the causes of each phenomenon and work to resolve them or limit their spread.

Conflict Of Values

• Values have aesthetic, political, social, cultural, religious, and philosophical dimensions.
• Individuals in society should adhere to the best morals, avoid despicable notions, and promote social interaction in time, space, culture, civilization, progress, growth, or prosperity without ethics and values.
• Values, morals, goals, ethics, behaviors, and structural changes in society must change to keep pace with the new structural composition of society.
• A value conflict arises between new values targeted by change and prevailing values in society.
• Holding on to noble values has become difficult due to the spread of hypocrisy, lying, distortion, and deception.
• The dominance of " امشي الحيط الحيط" (walking close to the wall) culture, leading to a split personality.
• The spread of injustice, lack of mercy, sidelining of creative people, promotion of incompetents, and administrative and financial corruption.
• Society has become indifferent, leading to suffering from behaviors resulting from a lack of concern for safety and lives.
• Traffic accidents in Jordan over the past ten years resulted in 7,431 deaths.
• The financial losses because of fatalities in accidents are estimated at 1.7 billion dinars, and traffic accidents are considered a real enemy of sustainable development.
• Accidents drain resources and deprive individuals of participation in building and growth.

Civic Behavior in Jordanian Civil Society

• Civil society is the sum of private organizations and bodies independent of the state with its dynamics to mediate between citizens and the political society.
• It protects ordinary citizens from the authority's fluctuations and grants legitimacy to the national opposition.
• Civil society organizes the aspirations and initiatives of individuals and groups.
• A conflict of interests between classes, the framework for integrating organized groups, social work and political ideology of culture lies between dominant and opposing classes.
• Transforming political struggle into competition and controlling its radical aims requires democratic controls that threaten civil peace.
• Characteristics include controlling the level of competition and transforming it into a transfer of power without prejudice to the state.

Challenges Facing Jordan

• Jordan faces political, economic, security, and social challenges that require analysis to define options.
• Economic challenges include budget deficits, indebtedness, sensitivity to uncontrollable external factors, declining foreign aid, and rising oil costs.
• Social challenges include falling income levels, poor distribution of wealth, expanding poverty pockets, rising unemployment, and social tolerance for corruption.
• Security challenges include regional instability, particularly in Iraq and Palestine, the threat of terrorism, and the presence of groups hostile to Jordan.
• Political challenges include political and democratic reform pressures, political organizations abroad, and population structures.
• Strategic challenges include Jordan's small size and limited natural resources, surrounded by larger, more powerful countries.
• These challenges do not mean Jordan is weak, but on the contrary, it is secure and stable.
• Jordan's strength consists of citizens' consensus on independence, security, and stability.
• Strong relationships with Arab countries, the Jordanian leadership's ability to move quickly and manage crises, and vigilance needed regarding potential dangers and their repercussions.
• Addressing challenges with analysis and consideration of the strengths that allow to be overcome and transformed.

The Jordanian Family

• The Jordanian society has identified two types of families which are the extended, and nuclear families. There is a continuous shift towards nuclear families from extended families, due to the increase in travel and access to education.
• Migration from rural to urban environments, along with seeking employment abroad. Furthermore, an increase in education for males and females, allowed them to separate from agricultural areas.
• The above reasons allow for people to live independently away from extended families, leading to the formation of nuclear families. More factors include urbanization, economic activities and mobility.
• Relationships between family members have seen the father exerting control, with the father's authority becoming more democratic in nature. Also, children gain autonomy and have discussions regarding family issues.
• The functions for traditional families were focused on all aspects of life with key functions including.
• Education and socialization: families carried the responsibility of teaching people adaptation to society and its values.

Personal Status Law

• It is a codified law that derives some provisions from Islamic Sharia and is subject to modernization and development.
• Amendments to the law, that help judges solve many problems, were necessary in the ever-changing society.
• Islamic Sharia has fixed and unchangeable provisions, while other provisions can be developed through interpretation and judgment.
• The law covers key issues related to the family, but a new draft law for personal status for the year 2010 is available at the moment.
• Despite regulating the family relationship, personal status law evokes debate on issues of polygamy, divorce, alimony, and more.
• The amended personal status law issued in 2001 is currently being revised in cooperation with civil society organizations before its approval.

Polygamy:

• After in-depth interpretations of Islamic law and verses, Islamic law views marriage to one wife as the standard, and polygamy as the exception.
• Women can stipulate in the marriage contract the right to demand a divorce while retaining their rights. Notification of the first wife after marriage is necessary in the new draft.

Minimum Age of Marrying:

• One of the most prominent issues of discussion in Jordan and Arab countries is the age of marriage. Some countries see the need to raise the age of marriage to eighteen.
• Jordan amended the rules as per the Amendment Law of Personal Status for the year 2001 is now eighteen. Exceptions will be determined by the judge or an appropriate committee.

Khula:

• Opinions differed on Khula, as it was criticized by many men, leading to its failure to pass in the House of Representatives in previous years. Therefore, it is seen as incompatible with the customs.
• Amending the Personal Status Law of 2001 allows a woman to divorce her husband if she does not want to continue the marriage. However, the Khula clause may return in the new law after some adjustments.

Arbitrary Divorce:

• Arbitrary divorce means that the husband divorces his wife without a legitimate reason. Legislator provided a right for the wife to seek compensation.
• In the new law, it was suggested to provide compensation for a five-year period.

Alimony

• The temporary personal status law in 2001 states that a working wife is eligible for alimony if her work is legitimate and if the husband agrees to her work. However, the text needs expansion to clarify.
• The jurist wants the wife alimony for the issues because without compensation, a woman from a work that does not have the husband's consent can cause a great burden.

Higher Education:

• Jordanian University opened in 1964, and there were job opportunities in the Gulf states that improved the economic conditions of Jordanian families.
• Economic boom of the 1970's helped the advancement of women in Jordan on a number of different levels.

Women's Participation in Decision-Making

• Article Six of the Jordanian Constitution states that Jordanians are equal before the Constitution. Additionally, the Human Rights Declaration states all people can participate in political life, and women can improve both socially, economically, and politically to achieve equality.
• During the Beijing Conference in (1995), the Economic and Social Council stated that women must participate in decision making with at least 30%.
• Enacting legislation to modify the way people view women, is essential for advancing participation in society.
• Therefore, Governments have not paid attention to achieving gender, or gender equality. Appointing, promoting, training.
• In (1980), a person was nominated to be on the council of the Municipality of the Capital that was compiled up of 12 people and then 3 out of 80.
• in 1979 there was one female minister. Now in 2001, there is also one female minster within a total of 29. Lastly, the first women in judiciary began in the year 1997.

Legislative Council:

• In 1974 Jordanian women gained the right to vote thanks to the late King Hussain.
• In 1978 three women were put in The Advisory Board of eighty. In 1989 when democracy returned there were women in religious and political parties. There were candidates which didn't succeed except in 1993 when one female was placed in parliament. There were (17) female candidates in 1977.

Several Common Reasons for failure:

• Society not being ready to use females in politics.
• Weak expertise in the workforce. Society still comparing parliamentary figures.
• Despite equal political support and political drive for the success of women the lack of support for their future.

1948 A Pivotal Conflict:

• Despite scarce resources Jordan fought in the war along with Arab countries.
• Army held Jerusalem while protecting the innocent and saving those from being subject to the Zionist aggression.
• The West Bank was saved by Jordanian unit along with those persecuted.
• The Jordanian Palestinian unit took place to save lives and restore rights.
• So the West Bank would not be in a political that benefitted the army, in agreement with Palestinians of Palestine.
• United Nations took place in 1951 after the election.
• In 1952, the constitution was amended to uphold democratic value throughout the entire globe.

King Hussein:

• King Hussein was supported.
• The Arab nations during that were suffering from events which Jordan knew how to live with in peace.
• Joining sides with Egypt in 1956 to stand with brothers and sisters.
• During the same the army unit in Jordan was freed from its captures.

1960 S:

• Protecting the Arab and Palestinians to the events of 1967 where many were occupied by Israel.
• Jordan for not being completely prepared to its Arab states.

In Response:

• Protecting hundreds of thousands while seeing them as equals.

1967 Till That Point:

• Fighting the army to reclaim Palestine.
• In March 21 1968 and Jordan rejected the army.

War Of 1973:

• Sending many who were in position to protect the syrian army.
• At the rebato summit in 1974 Jordanian Palestine became a symbol.

1998:

• Safeguarding peace negotiations.

Between:

• Political sides in a safe haven and Arab groups.
• 1989 the resumption of the political life happened with parliamentary groups increasing the activity again.