Christina Meinecke, the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Resident Coordinator in Jordan, told the Amman International Rotary Club that Jordan is trying to adhere to human rights treaties. “Jordan signed and ratified seven of the nine core international human treaties.”

Meinecke speaking at the Landmark Hotel, Wednesday evening, told Rotarians that besides implementing civil and political rights, like freedom of expression, freedom of association, the right to participate in public affairs, and others, realizing economic or social rights, like the right to food or the right to education can be done progressively.

The Senior Human Rights official, who is giving advice to the 18 UN agencies operating in Jordan, recognizes that there might be a cost element that makes Jordan unable to realize such rights fully. “But as a minimum, rights should not be violated, and it is important that a doable strategy to achieve them is adopted.” “Overall treaties that are ratified are not optional, countries that sign and ratify international treaties are obliged to implement them,” she said.

The German-born and educated UN official said that the international community has instituted mechanisms to allow for accountability to governments regarding their adherence to human rights. “The Human Rights Council in Geneva organizes, every 4,5 years, a universal periodical review of each member’s state.” Civil society organizations and human rights activists can use this mechanism to hold their own countries accountable and submit their own perspectives and information on how they assess the implementation of human rights in the country, she said.

Meinecke said that at present, the temporarily appointed UN Resident Coordinator has left Jordan and that the UNHCR representative, Dominik Bartsch, is filling that position until the new Resident Coordinator will come to Jordan next January.

The UN human rights official praised the generosity and support Jordan has given to refugees, especially Syrian refugees but called for “a one refugee approach.” She also called for attention to the rights of migrant workers in Jordan, an issue often overlooked. In detailing what UN agencies do in Jordan, Meinecke concluded that the guiding principle for all UN agencies is to support the realization of the 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals while “leaving no one behind.”

Rima Tantash a new Rotarian was pinned at the event.

President of Amman International Rotary Samuel Kakish honoring speaker with a certification