In Jordan, a country renowned for its rich history and vibrant cultural traditions, stark contradictions exist between progress and deeply rooted practices that challenge human rights and gender equality. Across Jordan, the term "honour" is frequently invoked when discussing women’s reputations, yet its true meaning is often betrayed. When we look up the word "honour," we find synonyms such as "respect," "morals," "privilege," and "integrity." How, then, can such a term be co-opted to justify the heinous act of killing women, often carried out in the name of preserving a family’s so-called honour? This practice is commonly misinterpreted to be rooted in religion, but these practices are instead a product of cultural constructs. From a religious perspective, particularly in Islam, the predominant faith in Jordan, there is no justification in the Quran for killing women to preserve or restore someone’s honour. The practice unfortunately stems from pre-Islamic practices of femicides. This reality persists even in Jordan, a nation considered relatively progressive within the Middle East in terms of women’s rights and gender equality.
Killing of women and children alike, by family members has risen to 94% in a study done in 2022, as opposed to figures taken from a year prior (Jordan Women’s Solidarity Association 2023). Jordanian laws, in particular Article 98 of the Jordanian Penal Code, reduces the sentence of a murder to a mere year, if done in a ‘fit of fury’. This law is often used to lower the sentences of the family members that murder their wives, sisters or daughters. The law was amended in 2017 due to a push from women’s rights activists that led to a second clause subsequently being included that states ‘the perpetrator shall not benefit from the mitigating excuse if the act is committed in crimes’ against women’.
The change, although a legal victory, was a minor one, in particular when remembering the infamous case of Ahlam, in 2020, who was murdered by her father and who afterwards sat beside her dead body drinking a cup of tea. He also was tried under Article 98, with his sentence reduced to one year, despite amendments to the article. Her death sparked outrage and protests from activists and legal professionals alike, calling for further amendments to Jordanian legal codes.
Unfortunately, what is most concerning is that Ahlam’s death was public, reflecting the public attitude towards this pressing issue. Despite the new generation being more open to the talk of women’s rights laws being amended in Jordan, perhaps there remains much room for a cultural shift to take place. The fact that Ahlam’s father believed he could commit this act in front of his neighbours is horrifying as it indicates that no longer are the perpetrators committing violence against women indoors but now are not afraid to do it publicly considering they have the law on their side if they were to end up in the courtroom. This cultural shift in mindset needs to occur throughout the Middle East with Syrian and Iraqi laws reflecting a similar fate for women.
While younger generations in Jordan are increasingly open to discussions about women’s rights and legal reforms, there remains a long journey toward change. The pervasive cultural mindset that condone such acts must shift to eradicate this violence. Social media movements have captured this sentiment with a powerful slogan: "There is no honour in honour killing”, in particular organizations like Jordanian Women’s Union who have been constantly fighting for legal reform. Real change can only come when Jordanian society recognizes that the true dishonour lies not in a woman’s choices but in the extreme violence perpetrated against her under the guise of preserving family reputation.
Mira Said
Third year LLB Law student
Comments