This statement is an outcome of the participation of more than 100 NGOs from four continents –Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe in the NGO Forum on the role of National Institutions inpromoting gender equality and the human rights of women and girls. The NGO Forum held inAmman (4-5 November 4-5 ,2012) organized by the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies(ACHRS) and in collaboration with the Asian Network of Non-governmental OrganizationsWorking with NHRIs (ANNI) and the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW).

We hope that these recommendations will be considered for incorporation into the outcomedocument of the 11th International Conference of the International Coordinating Committee andNational Institutions for the Promotion and Protection for Human Rights.

Recognizing the significance of the NGO Forum being held in the Arab region, which hasexperienced egregious violations of collective human rights in the context of foreign occupationand in the particular context of the recent popular Arab uprising, involving bloodshed, theparticipants wish to emphasize the importance of recognizing collective rights, including theright to self determination, the right to peace and security, and the right development, the lack ofwhich cause grievous violations of the rights of women and girls, in particular those belonging tomarginalized and vulnerable communities. To strengthen the engagement of Arab civil societyorganizations (CSOs) with their National Institutions, the NGOs in the Arab region will form anArab Network of CSOs and liaise with the ANNI Network to effectively monitor NationalInstitutions within a region-specific context. This would be realized and implemented by theAmman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS) in cooperation with ANNI in 2013.

Download 2012 Amman Declaration And Programme Of Action (PDF)