Indicator 7: Existence of parliamentary oversight role (body) on public legal awareness activities pertaining to laws on VAWG

In political systems that strive for inclusive governance, the parliament usually plays a major role in enacting laws, making policies, and holding the government accountable for its policies. Part of this essential role is to have a legislative policy on combating VAWG. It is thus very important when the parliament adopts laws and policies to address VAWG that they do all they can to raise public awareness and sensitize citizens to this issue in order to ensure the efficiency of these laws but also in order to assess them.

No parliament in the States covered by the index follows up such laws nor set up programs of public awareness on the issue of VAWG.

Countries

Algeria

The parliament does not perform oversight role on public legal awareness on laws of VAWG.

Egypt

The parliament does not perform oversight role on public legal awareness on laws of VAWG.

Jordan

The parliament does not perform oversight role on public legal awareness on laws of VAWG. However, in a 2013 a Forum of Women Parliamentarians was established and in 2014 the parliament created a parliamentarian committee on Women and Family Affairs. There is also a Women’s Committee in the Senate. These committees hold meetings, hearings and conferences and spread awareness on women’s issues, including laws combating VAWG. They also oversee the government’s work on issues relating to VAWG.

Lebanon

The parliament does not perform oversight role on public legal awareness on laws of VAWG.

Morocco

The parliament does not perform regular oversight role on public legal awareness on laws of VAWG. However, two years after the law on combating violence against women came into force, the parliament organized several thematic days to follow up on the implementation of law, during which the relevant governmental sectors presented the outcomes of their commitments to this law. CSOs also participated in these parliamentary activities alongside the Human Rights Constitutional Institutions.