The princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies, in cooperation with the Jordanian Masarat Foundation for Development and Progress, implemented the first session to complete the dialogue sessions on 'Hate speech and Interfaith dialogue' within the project of 'Hate speech and Interfaith dialogue' and during this session Dr. Saeed Bawanah the assistant dean of the faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies has participated in an interactive lecture entitled: "elements of religious discourse and dialogue in Islam" he has handled several topics in it: The religious discourse and dialogue in Islam is based on harmony and love, not exclusion and hatred. This discourse embodies the meaning of coexistence and understanding with others. It relies on several components: the goodness of the message, insight that combines awareness and wisdom, kindness and moderation in communication, wise counsel and good advice, and debate conducted in the best manner. It emphasizes offering well to others, maintaining decorum, and avoiding insults and derogatory remarks. Religious discourse and dialogue in Islam serve as a gateway to understanding the truth.
A delegation of academic, administrative, and student colleagues from Yarmouk University joined the Princess Basma Centre for Jordanian Women's Studies' Director, Dr. Batoul Al-Muhaisen, at the launch of the project "Training Academic Women on Party Work in Universities," which the Center and the Jordanian Masarat Foundation for Development are coordinating.
During the "The Role of Academic Institutions in Promoting a Culture of Political Participation" discussion session, the Center Director underscored His Majesty King Abdullah II's directives to support the political empowerment of women and youth in Jordan through various programs and activities. He also expressed interest in the emergence of a generation of students who derive profound empowerment from political empowerment, a crucial step towards achieving democratic and social development in societies.
Under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Islam Massad, the President of the University, who was renowned for his extraordinary support and belief in the capabilities of women and their ability to be present in decision-making places at the university, she underlined that Yarmouk University, the big house that brings us together, provides all the support and guidance for us to play our role to the fullest. Along with concentrating on research addressing the difficulties faced by women in political and partisan life in Jordanian society, the Center regularly hosts awareness workshops and seminars on political and partisan life.
The Princess Basma Center for Women's Studies, in collaboration with the Masarat Foundation for Development, held its fifth session under the fourth axis "Raising Awareness and Enlightened Discourse" as part of the "Hate Speech and Interfaith Dialogue" initiative.
During this session, Dr. Marcel Jouinat from the Department of Journalism and Digital Media/Faculty of Mass Communication and Dr. Muhammad Al-Habis, Head of the Department of Radio and Television, provided an interactive lecture on a variety of topics, including:
The undeniable foundation of shared denominators underpins digital and social media's significance and relevance in reducing hate speech and fostering a discourse culture.
Dr. Marcel Jouinat stated that digital media and means of communication are an effective and influential tool for spreading moderate religious and cultural discourse, as well as their importance in developing religious discourse content. She also emphasized the challenges raised by hate speech on the Internet, as well as its negativity.
The presentation included Jordan's electronic fire legislation and international legal documents.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Habis discussed the characteristics of hate speech, the factors determining identity, how to address this type of speech in all its forms, and the importance of focusing on the human being and his humanity without discrimination. Dr. Muhammad Al-Habis also discussed the importance and necessity of social media platforms. Some people champion freedom of speech, but we must operate within the confines of the law.
Extract from the second day activities for the training workshop on "Guide to Family Protection against violence" which has been implemented by the National Council for Family Affairs in partnership with Princess Basma Center for Women's Studies, for a group of students from the faculties of sharia and Islamic, Educational science and Media.
The second day has included several lectures on: identifying the Guide for dealing with cases of violence and the purpose of its existence, the attitude to violence, and the role of family reform offices to reduce it. Dr.Ismail Nouh Al_Qudah from the supreme judge department talked though it.
The Secretary General for Technical Affairs at the National Council for Family Affairs, MR. Mohammed Al-Zoubi spoke about the importance of the guide to protect the family from violence, which is an awareness guide that contains a set of awareness messages about violence and ways to prevent it and protect the family.
This workshop was attended by Dr.Tariq Al-Nasser, Deputy Director of the Center, a group of the National Council for Family Affairs team, and the Centers staff.
At the end of the training workshop, certificates were given to the workshop participants.
The Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies at Yarmouk University, in partnership with Al-Hayat Center "RASED" and with funding from the European Union and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, has released the results of a field survey for the study "Assessing the reality of community satisfaction in municipalities and the extent of practicing social accountability."
A team of academics and specialists in the fields of community accountability and local government development carried out the field study on the Bani Obaid municipality with the goal of evaluating the state of local government, gauging the level of citizen satisfaction with the services offered by municipalities locally, offering thorough and unbiased information about the contribution of municipalities to community development and promoting women's empowerment, and offering suggestions meant to improve local government systems and realize the goals of local communities towards sustainable and all-encompassing development.
Four categories shaped the study's findings: general respondent information; community accountability in assessing the performance of the municipality of Bani Obeid District and the degree of community satisfaction; community accountability regarding the municipality's role in community development and women's empowerment in Bani Obeid areas; and community accountability regarding the municipality's commitment to providing public services in Bani Obeid Brigade areas.
The study contacted 902 respondents in the areas of Al-Sareeh, Aydun, and Al-Hosn. Of these, 49% were male and 51% were female. Of these, 27% visited the headquarters of their municipalities just once in order to follow up on their treatment in the municipality, help others, or do special relations, and 59% did not visit the headquarters.
According to the study, 33.1% of respondents said they thought the municipality's staff lacked experience. It also revealed how overall satisfied citizens are with the issue of empowering women and activating their role in the municipality, as well as the municipal council's belief in gender.
The report made recommendations for strengthening community awareness and education, raising transparency and accountability, raising women's participation in decision-making, strengthening cooperation between municipalities and community institutions, and creating development policies and programs with a military budget.
The report further suggested giving women more chances for education and training, improving public resource management integrity, encouraging youth involvement, improving administrative effectiveness and efficiency, and improving communication and community engagement.
Dr. Batoul Al-Muhaisen, the Center's Director, stated that the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies aims to accomplish the same goals that Yarmouk University has done through scientific research and qualitative awareness.
She emphasized that the "Nazaha" project has a schedule and specific goals, allowing us to assess the extent to which municipalities adhere to social governance and accountability norms, as well as the degree to which various community groups, particularly women, the elderly, and those with disabilities, feel connected to the municipality.
Al-Muhaisen said, "We have a set of indicators that can be built upon and developed to serve the community and enhance municipal work in our local environment, thanks to the field survey prepared by a group of specialized researchers."
In collaboration with the Masarat Foundation for Development, the Princess Basma Center for Women's Studies conducted its fourth session under the fourth axis, "Raising Awareness and Enlightened Discourse," within the context of the "Hate Speech and Interfaith Dialogue" project.
During this session, Dr. Diala Al-Taani of the Department of Public Law/College of Law gave an interactive lecture covering a number of topics, such as:
Dr. Diala Al-Taani emphasized the importance of intelligent religious discourse and its potential to enhance communities. Following her definition of religious freedom, Dr. Diala Al-Taani reviewed the key legal texts addressing religious and belief freedom from national legislation (the Jordanian Constitution, the Penal Code, and the Press and Publications Law) and international conventions (the Arab Charter on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights).
It also clarified the definition of interreligious dialogue, defining it as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and facts among followers of various faiths, with each side upholding its own beliefs in a respectful and understanding atmosphere for the benefit of humanity as a whole. She outlined the significance of enlightened discourse and the revival of religious discourse, which are two of the main factors propelling civilizations forward because they successfully counter extremism—all kinds of extremism. She also talked about hate speech, particularly against Islam and Muslims, as well as Islamophobia.
At the end of the session, she emphasized the need for educational institutions to address issues of human existence such as pluralism, diversity, dignity, and giving in addition to curriculum development and skill acquisition. Students who believe in human rights, regardless of their religion, should be fully aware of these issues.
Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Woman’s Studies at Yarmouk University, in cooperation with the National Council for Family affairs, organized a training course on “ The Guiding Manual for Family Protection from Violence “ , in the presence of the center’s director Dr. Batool Almuhaysen, and with the participation Dr. Ahmad Alhrasees from General Fatwa Circle, and media specialist Tasneem jdoo’a in the National Council for Family Affairs, and the judgment f the board.
Organizing this course came for definition in the guiding manual , which is awareness guide containing a set of awareness messages about violence, ways to prevent it, and and protect family, this guide complements and emphasizes the Council’s role in institutionalizing the system of protection from violence by focusing on developing a national action mechanism based on a participatory approach, including all institution related to family protection and unified national action procedures to prevent and respond to cases of violence in Jordan.
During the course, a presentation was made on the contents of the guide, which was prepared by a select group of experts and representatives from religious institutions. Additionally, the National Framework for Family Protection from Violence was presented. This framework outlines the principles for providing prevention and protection services, as well as coordination mechanisms among all service-providing institutions for cases of violence, ensuring the provision of comprehensive and integrated services through a systematic process of supervision and follow-up.”
And participated in the course, which is scheduled to last for two days.”
“The course, which included the participation of several students from the faculties of Sharia and Islamic Studies, Educational Sciences, and Media, featured a series of lectures titled ‘The Concept of Violence and Factors Contributing to Its Spread’ and ‘The Role of the General Ifta Department in Reducing Violence,’ presented by Al-Hurasis. Additionally, Al-Mutalqa delivered a lecture titled ‘The Protection System Against Violence in Jordan and the Council’s Role in Strengthening It.”
“The council staff also reviewed the protection system against violence and the council’s preventive measures, emphasizing the role of the media and the importance of religious discourse in reducing domestic violence.”
At the end of the course, there was an open discussion with the students about what was learned and how to apply it in daily life.
As part of the "Hate Speech and Interfaith Dialogue" project, the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies, in partnership with the Jordanian Masarat Foundation for Development, concluded conversation sessions.
Dr. Mamoun Al-Shteiwi Al-Abadi spoke in front of Dr. Batoul Al-Muhaisen, Mr. Talal Ghunaimat, the Foundation's Executive Director, and the center's personnel. A group of students from the Department of Modern Languages/French Language and other disciplines participated in the sixth closing session on "Effective Dialogue, Exchange of Experiences, and Challenging Biases" to enhance their communication skills and forge strong relationships. The presentation included a brief overview of the significance of effective dialogue in fostering open communication.
An icebreaker exercise kicked off the session, dividing participants into pairs to discuss their personal experiences and introduce each other to the group. This activity served to foster an environment of closeness and collaboration among the participants.
The workshop focused on two main axes: the first dealt with the concept of effective dialogue and its most important elements, involving a group discussion on the challenges individuals face in their daily lives. The second axe, on biases that may affect our daily interactions, involved participants writing examples of biases they faced or witnessed, followed by a group discussion. The workshop ended with a closing exercise in which participants worked in small groups to analyze hypothetical circumstances that required discussion and challenged preconceptions before presenting their results.
The session concluded with an open discussion about the lessons learned and their practical application in everyday life. The session reflected the participants' commitment to promoting effective dialogue and challenging prejudices, making it a useful and fruitful experience for all.
The implementation of such conversation sessions is an affirmation of developing cooperation frameworks with local community institutions, which aligns with the center's vision and objective to improve the interaction of the university community, particularly students.
Masarat Paths: Development & Development.
Under the third topic, "Understanding and Awareness of Religious Discourse and Mitigating Hate Speech," the Princess Basma Center for Jordanian Women's Studies, in partnership with Masarat Foundation for Development and Development, held its third session as part of the "Hate Speech and Interfaith Dialogue" project.
In the third session, Dr. Asmaa Al-Shboul of the College of Sharia Department of Islamic Studies and Assistant Dean of the College of Sharia for Accreditation and Quality Assurance delivered an interactive lecture covering a number of topics, including the concept of religious discourse and its significance in projecting a positive image of Islam and fostering social cohesiveness in accordance with a human value system based on tolerance, brotherhood, and acceptance of one another.
Al-Shaboul also mentioned the characteristics of religious speech, namely reality, moderation, preserving constants, and adaptability to the needs of the moment. The students took part in representing the reality of religious discourse and its most obvious manifestations, which include fanaticism, tradition, and the overall lack of its substance. At the workshop's conclusion, we discussed the basis of renewal in religious discourse and its need to keep up with the advancements of the times.
