World Parents' Day

The promise of a happy upbringing

This theme reflects the significant and vital role parents play in the lives of their children and accentuates the importance of love and care parents provide, which helps build a better future for the upcoming generations.

The Higher Population Council pays special attention to World Parents' Day as HPC acknowledges the importance of the role of parents in the upbringing of generations and its impact on societal and economic development. HPC realizes that supporting parents to attain their reproductive desires and needs provides them with better conditions to raise their children in a healthy and sound manner, as it is also the essence of building a strong and sustainable society.

‘The generational gap is not merely a difference in years, it is a barrier to understanding, bonding and communication, where children find themselves in a world full of questions with no answers, while parents stand on the other side equipped with experiences but at the same time lacking the means to pass on their knowledge and experiences to their children.’

Poor communication between parents and their adolescent male and female children is an important issue affecting healthy family relationships and the development of young people. The causes of poor communication can be multifaceted and wide-ranging, including the cultural gap and age gap, technological developments and changes, dissimilar values and perceptions amongst generations, daily pressures, as well as the different phases of psychosocial development including the psychological and emotional changes and ups and downs that adolescents go through.

‘More often than not, parents' influences reach far beyond counselling and guidance to manifest as pressures in vital decisions such as childbearing and timing of pregnancies, where parents' inherent beliefs and convictions resonate more strongly than the wishes and desires of the children themselves.’

In Jordanian society, as in many other cultures worldwide, parents play a dominant role in the lives of their children even after marriage; parents have a say in their children's decisions regarding determining the number of children, the timing of pregnancy, and speeding up the birth of the first child. These influences can be attributed to cultural, social, religious, and economic factors, including cultural traditions and values, which hold a considerable weight in Jordanian society.

A large, extended  family is regarded as an icon of power; parents practice all kinds of pressures on newly-weds so as to speed up the arrival of their first born child with the conviction that that would bring marital and familial stability. Additionally, financial and family support constitute, in some cases, added pressure on young couples where they may rely on their parents' financial and housing support, making them more likely to be dependent on and influenced by parents' sentiments regarding their reproductive decisions.

‘The legislation on maternity and paternity leave in Jordan reflects the commitment of the state to protect parental rights and promote family well-being through providing time needed for childcare and ensuring a supportive environment for the working family’

Jordan's Labour Law grants a ten-week (70 days) paid maternity leave in the private sector. A mother receives her full pay during the leave period; a nursing mother is granted an hour a day for breastfeeding for one whole year after the end of the maternity leave.

In the public sector, the civil service system grants 90 days (three months) paid maternity leave; the mother receives her full pay during the leave period. In addition, the mother is granted an hour a day for breastfeeding for one whole year after the end of the maternity leave.

As for paternity leave, Jordan's Labour Law does not commit private employers in the private sector to grant paternity leave; some establishments, however, offer paternity leave as part of their in-company policies.

In the public sector, a father employed in the public sector is granted 3 working days of paid paternity leave upon the birth of a new child. However, there still remains some room for improvement to ensure policies are aligned with international standards that recommend 14 weeks of maternity leave to better meet the needs of employees. The Social Security Law grants working mothers subscribed in ‘maternity insurance’ a monetary amount equivalent to 70 days of their regular wages.

‘In the age of digital technology, children's online safety is a shared responsibility that calls for parental full awareness and active participation through raising awareness, using parental control tools and methods, and participating in digital activities. Parents can help safeguard their children from potential risks and ensure a safe and productive experience in the digital world.’

In the age of digital technology, bringing parents' attention to their children's digital safety is critical to protecting them from potential online hazards. Parents need to educate children on how to protect their privacy, avoid inappropriate content, and not interact or communicate with strangers. This can all be achieved through the use of parental control tools and methods, and active participation in children's digital activities. In addition, parents need to monitor their children’s online activity, and collaborate and work closely with schools to educate children about digital safety.

‘Early marriage of girls is a major challenge to socio-economic development. Despite the fact that the law stipulates the age (of marriage) at 18, exceptions allowing girls under this age to marry negatively affect their rights to education, health, and to a decent life. There needs to be more efforts put to raise the awareness of society and to revise and amend laws to ensure that girls are protected and empowered so that they can work to build a better future.’

Marrying girls at an early age (under18 years,) and with an age difference between bride and groom, is a clear indicator of the status of women in society. As is the case in most societies worldwide, Jordanian society included, the marriage of girls under eighteen and its ramifications is back to the forefront one more time beginning of the century. This phenomenon has received great attention from religious scholars, legislators, educators, civil society organizations, women's rights activists, decision makers, regional and international organizations, researchers and creators of statistical data. The number of such recorded marriages among those who married for the first time during the years 2010-2022 amounts to 115 thousand cases, approximately. Some parents tend to marry off their daughters before the age of 18, under the conviction that this would give the girl a safe, secure future and lessen the burden of the girl’s upkeep and care as well. By doing so, parents are kept in the dark with regard to the health and psychological risks associated with this harmful practice.

‘Unplanned childbearing is a major challenge for families, as it can lead to economic and psychological pressures that affect the well-being of parents and children. Raising awareness of reproductive planning methods and improving access to them can help reduce this phenomenon and promote effective family planning.’

The rate of use of modern family planning methods by Jordanian couples, according to the results of the last two family surveys, has witnessed relative stability at 38.1% and 39%, respectively, while the rate of use of traditional methods (characterized by a high failure rate) rose to a record level from 13.3% to 21.7%, the highest among all Arab societies. The percentage of Jordanian married women, whose need for an effective method to regulate childbearing was unmet, reached quite a high percentage at about 32%. If  not met, the result would be a significant number of unintended, unplanned births. Families’ well-being can be enhanced and unplanned pregnancies can be reduced through promoting education, improving access to reproductive planning methods and encouraging open dialogue between spouses.

‘Parental abuse constitute a great danger to the children’s physical and mental wellness. Parental abuse has a negative impact on children’s psychological and emotional growth, and is an impediment to their normal and positive development in society.’

Parental abuse, be it physical, psychological, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect, is a phenomenon that negatively affects the health and safety of children and leads to life-long psychological and physical damages. This phenomenon is a violation of children's rights and does not secure a safe and supportive environment for growth and development. World Parents' Day enlivens awareness of the important role of parents in the lives of children and families. However, it needs to be noted that certain parents may fail to properly fulfil their responsibilities as parents, resulting in abuse of children instead of providing them with love, care and protection.

Sources:

• Department of Statistics, Population and Family Health Survey 2017/2018, 2023
• Ministry of Labour, Labour Law and its Amendments No.8 of 1996
• Civil Service Bureau - Amended System of Civil Service Law No. 6 of 2022
• Law amending the Social Security Law No. 11 of 2023
• World Health Organization, Family Planning Means