Last week prisoners in Auki Correctional Centre 25 prisoners completed five days Ending Violence Against Women awareness and training.
Correctional Service of Solomon Islands (CSSI) is one of the SIG organisations in partnerships UN Women Pacific Facility Fund (UN Women PFF) with who are they are actively seeking to address EVAW issue within its correctional facilities in Solomon Islands.
The five days Ending Violence against Women (EVAW) Mala Advocators training was facilitated by Mr Francis William Rea from Social Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Medical Services of Solomon Islands in Honiara.
He used the Naf Nao program from live and learn which has been successfully delivered within Rove Centre, one long term sentenced inmate said they were so privileged to have the EVAW training which provided the opportunity for them to rehabilitate themselves and see the value of human life is a paramount in our society and the human rights that we have studied few days ago, it really gives us a very profound sound intelligence and understanding that men and women are equal and here I want to make it clear that we all have the same right to live free from all form of violence.
During the closing ceremony last Friday 21st August 2015 at ACC inmates’ multipurpose building Mr. Francis encouraged all the recipients of Male Advocators against Violence against Women and girls, “you have completed these five days training workshop and I believe that you have acquired a br.
The closing ceremony was attend by senior management staff of ACC in Malaita Province and the ACC Commandant Superintendent (Supt) Xavier Betu was the guest of honour during the certificate presentation ceremony.
Supt Xavier Betu has also given the opportunity to deliver a key note address on behalf Auki Correctional Centre and CSSI Commissioner’s office. Supt Xavier Betu said, “I as your new Commandant I am so proud of the energy and the enthusiasm that all of you have sought towards this very important program that all of you have gone through for the past four days and now we are witnessing and celebrating your achievements.”
The ACC Commandant also added: “As we all know that domestic violence, violence against women, girls and children is at a very alarming rate in Solomon Islands and I believe that this training has given you great insights to see yourself and our future in a different way, not like before you came in here.”
Supt Xavier also added: “now all of you have acquired the certificates to become advocators of violence against women, girls and children, your families, communities and our society needs your support to put a stop to all form of violence in our society, I want to remind you that this facility is not your place for life, one day you will leave this place and I encourage you my good brother inmates here in ACC facility please put in practice what you have learned during the time you spend in here.”
CSSI UN Women Project Coordinator Staff Sergeant Glins K Clay in closing on behalf of CSSI Programs & Industry Unit and UN Women, CSSI and UN Women team in Honiara is working very closely through programs such as this to move prisoners and communities towards a zero tolerance to violence against women and children.
He also encouraged all prisoners to stay on track with their rehabilitation , saying everything that could be done to prepare them and their communities for their release was being done by the unit including encouraging communities to give those prisoners who have served their sentence and helping and forgiving hand to return to be a valued and welcomed community member.
