Ammon News - AMMAN (Petra) - Activities of the Euro-Med "Women’s Rights and Democracy Building" Conference kicked off here in Amman on Friday.

The conference is organized by the European Feminist Initiative IFE-EFI and partners in the Euro-Med Campaign "Equality First" and the two years regional project "Promoting a common agenda for equality between women and men through Istanbul Process".

The conference will build on and finalize major recommendations for the 3rd Euro-Med Ministerial Meeting on "Strengthening the Role of Women in the Society" to be held in September 2013 in Paris.

The Conference will provide space for sharing of experience and analyses and finalize common strategies and recommendations for strengthening the role of women in the Euro-Med, through strengthening women’s human rights and participation using the international and regional instruments for gender equality as a reference.

Minister of Social Affairs Reem Abu Hassan said discrimination against women still exists in Jordan despite the efforts of different governments and parliaments to enhance gender equality. The minister also noted violence against women despite family protection law, which was approved by the government. She noted that the law is currently being revisited to enhance women's protection.

Ambassador of the European Union in Jordan Joanna Wronecka said that the Istanbul and Marrakesh processes will not be successful unless their recommendations were followed by tangible procedures that would achieve gender equality.