A group of Solomon Islands actors will take their message about peaceful homes to other parts of Melanesia this weekend.
The six Stages of Change women, based in the Solomon Islands fly to Fiji yesterday, to conduct a workshop with acting students at the Oceania Centre, and for a VIP performance for the Government and the diplomatic community.
The theatre piece does not have a narrative but Ennie Sisia Bakale, a member of the group said they are confident that people in Fiji will understand the theme and message about violence against women.
“Like the Solomon Islands, Fiji is also facing the same problem of violence against women, so that’s why we will perform it to help the women and men of Fiji to stop this violence.”
Originally funded by the European Union, the women have formed their own NGO and are being funded by UNDP in Fiji and by the British Council.
They have performed in Samoa and Papua New Guinea; after Fiji they head to Brussels to perform at an international conference on development.
Violence against women is regarded as one of the most pervasive violations of human rights in the world, one of the least prosecuted crimes, and one of the greatest threats to lasting peace and development.
His Excellency Leonidas Tezapsidis, EU ambassador to Solomon Islands and Vanuatu said the message promoted by Stages of Change is that gender equality is a fundermental human rights and knows no border or language.
“The project has so far been successful in cutting across language, gender and age barriers and engaging the public in the Solomon Islands on the sensitive subject of gender violence.
However, this message needs to be spread not just in the Pacific but around the world.
“EU is proud to have supported this effort and wishes the women good luck in their important task.”
