Positive gender transformative change is not only possible, it is happening in Papua New Guinea.
This is detailed in the ‘What Works for Gender Transformative Approaches in Papua New Guinea' report.
We don’t whisper anymore – ending violence against women in the North Pacific – a set of two online publications: gender-based violence (GBV) photo book of Herstories and a ‘story of change’ booklet’ featuring the extraordinary women working to establish crisis centres and support services for survivors of gender-based violence.
To address the need for safe spaces for women and girl survivors of violence in FSM, Lululeen Santos was recruited by government in the new role of Pohnpei Women’s Safe Space Coordinator in July 2021. She was welcomed to her new role by the Australian Ambassador to FSM Jo Cowley, and Second Secretary and Consul Takuro Steele.
Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI) completed an awareness session with 85 young women and men to raise awareness around the issue of ending violence against women and children, and to provide information about services available that provide support to women and girls experiencing violence in RMI.
Services include the WUTMI operated Weto In Mour (A Place of Life) Violence Against Women and Girls Support Service – RMI’s first counselling and support service for women and girl survivors of gender-based violence.
The Pohnpei Division of the FSM Department of Health & Social Affairs held its first Gender Equality and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) training for new staff. The training aims to support new staff of the Department to better understand issues relating to gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), gender-based violence (GBV), intersectionality and how these issues directly relate to their everyday life and work within government.
The Chuuk Women Council’s Tongen Inepwineu Counseling Service responds to, and aims to prevent, gender-based violence (GBV), including domestic violence in FSM. Support from the Australian Government has funded the building’s renovation, cost of staff to operate the GBV counselling service over three years, with the service to include advocacy work, training and mentoring of support volunteer counsellors at the community level. CWC and its partners work collaboratively to combat gender-based violence, and find ways to provide services.
The Chuuk Women’s Council launched its new Tongen Inepwineu Counselling Centre, which translated means ‘Love of the Family’ Counselling Centre. It is the first crisis support centre for women survivors of violence in the Federated States of Micronesia and provides free, confidential and non-judgmental counselling and trained “safe counsellors” who provide counselling and support to survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual harassment and child sexual abuse.
Women United Together in Marshall Island’s (WUTMI) believe that greater action is needed to intensify and strengthen partnerships to better address the issue of sexual violence and harassment. This was highlighted by Executive Director, Daisy Alik-Momotaro at the Orange Day march through the streets of Majuro, the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in September 2020.
In a first for Nauru, a new video animation was released about the safety of women and children in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Launched during 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence in November 2020, the ‘Staying Safe at Home’ video addressed domestic and family violence which typically increases during times of crisis such as COVID-19. The Ministry of Home Affairs and its Ewak n Erateko Safe House took a lead role in developing the video, produced by Pacific Women in partnership with SPC.
About 20 Chuuk State health assistant trainees completed a training course by Chuuk Women's Council's Tongen Inepwineu Counseling Center (Ticc Gbv) on 'Gender, Violence Against Women, Human Rights, Psychological First Aid and Frontline Support’ in July 2021. The training focused on increasing their knowledge about the many aspects of support needed for survivors of violence against women — beyond medical assistance to include support to recover and seek long term assistance.
The Chuuk Women’s Council, through its Tongen Inepwineu Counselling Center (TICC) counselling service, carried out its first 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and not having their president present in-country. The global campaign starts annually on 25 November with International Day for the Elimination of Gender-Based Violence and ends 10 December on Human Rights Day.
Marshall Islands Police Department officers received training by Women United Together in Marshall Islands (WUTMI) to better respond to and prevent violence against women, with Pacific Women support. The training focused on gender, violence against women, human rights and legislation and was remotely delivered.
Surveys have shown that one in three Marshallese women have experienced some form of abuse in their lifetime. ‘RMI’s rates of violence against women and children are staggering and unacceptable for a nation whose culture is built on peace, care and love for family and clan …’ said Women United Together in Marshall Islands’ (WUTMI) Executive Director, Daisy Alik-Momotaro. With Pacific Women support, WUTMI expanded its support service for women and children survivors of domestic and family violence out to remote and island locations.
Prominent figures in Tuvalu took the lead during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence in 2020, speaking out against violence in a national media campaign. The campaign set the tone for a range of events coordinated by the Gender Affairs Department (GAD) in partnership with other stakeholders in Tuvalu, featuring: the Prime Minister, His Excellency Kausea Natano; Attorney General, Eselealofa Apinelu; and Minister for Health, Social Welfare and Gender Affairs, Isaia Taape.
The central theme of CSW65, held in March 2021, was women’s participation and decision-making in public life and the elimination of violence. As Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Tuvalu represented the forum’s Pacific Island countries. Tuvalu’s Minister for Health, Social Welfare and Gender Affairs, Honourable Isaia stated that the empowerment of Pacific women and girls was critical to achieving sustainable development and the resilience of Pacific nations, adding there was a long way to go before we can see women’s full participation in decision-making in the Pacific. Hon.
Historically, Tuvalu has been a country where talking openly about domestic and family violence was taboo but national leaders have started speaking out against this crime. For the first time, the Traditional Leaders’ Forum of Tuvalu dedicated its annual meeting, held in November 2020, to ending violence against women and human rights. The Forum, organised by the Gender Affairs Department of the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare and Gender Affairs, was themed ‘Let Us Work Together to Make Our Home Safe for Everyone!’
In the Pacific, diverse populations contribute to Pacific communities at local and national levels, with their own preferred terms for people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender diverse, or intersex (LGBTI) people.
This Thematic Brief provides information and analysis about women, peace and security in the Pacific Islands region. The brief has been written for the Support Unit of Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women).
The first regional ‘Supervision Skills for Health and Social Services Professionals' training aimed to support crisis centre counsellors and caseworkers in delivering services to women and children survivors of violence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It brought together more than 20 participants from crisis centres in small island states, joined by government nominees, from Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap states), Kiribati, Nauru, Republic of Marshall Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.
This checklist proposes actions in five specific areas:
- Learn from women’s experience and support their leadership.
- Develop and implement gender-sensitive responses to COVID-19.
- Support women’ economic security.
- Prioritise support to domestic violence survivors.
- Ensure continued access to health services.