STAGE 2 of the Family Support Centre (FSC) Male Advocacy Program (MAP) Workshop on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality is currently underway at the Saint Barnabas Cathedral Hall.
The five-day training commenced on Monday.
MAP is aimed at preventing violence by addressing two key factors that contribute to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and these are lack of knowledge of and belief in human rights and women’s rights and unequal power relations between women and men.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop yesterday, FSC Board Chairlady Anika Kingmele highlighted that the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and VAWG requires collaboration with men and boys as allies, partners and activists to be able to make a positive change in homes, communities and the country.
Ms Kingmele highlighted to the workshop participants that for them to be able to advocate and make any positive change in their families and communities, the change has to start with each of them.
“To be able to contribute to make a home that is safe, a community that is safe, the change has to start with each of us.
“To see Solomon Islands safe and free from violence against women, girls and children, the change has to start with each of us.
“FSC like many others, we are also cognizant that ending domestic violence or GBV and VAWG requires working with men and boys as allies, partners and activists for us to be able to make a positive change in our homes, communities and the country.
“Preventing violence requires unlearning what has been learnt. Unlearning is of the same importance as learning because to unlearn something is to be conscious of what has been learned and our ability to change it,” Ms Kingmele underscored.
The FCS Board Chairlady said because of this, FCS as an organization believes that these male advocators too can make a positive change.
“By learning from this training program, we (advocators) can be the change that we need,” Ms Kingmele added.
“Violence against another person is a violence against human rights. Both men and women and girls and children are currently experiencing violence. The statistics are overwhelming and the perpetrators are male.
“We must be mindful that violence is not innate. It is learned from the external environment that we grow up in and that is our gendered roles and responsibilities – sexism,” she said.
Ms Kingmele acknowledged Solomon Islands Government and the Australian Government for investing in FSC over the years through the different activities and one of which is the Male Advocacy Training Workshop Stage 2.
In his keynote address, Permanent Secretary for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Dr Cedrick Alependava said according to the 2009 Solomon Islands Family Health Safety Study, 64 percent of women aged between 15 and 49 who are in an intimate relationship have reported experiencing partner violence.
He added that the rate of children in the country experiencing violence and all forms of abuses stands at 73 percent.
“It does not reflect well on us when we are called a Christian nation. 95 percent of Solomon Islanders profess to be Christians.
“Therefore, we at MWYCFA, SAFENET members and FSC, Non-Government Organizations, Community Sector Organizations and Faith-Based Organizations, are doing our very best trying to reduce much as possible evil of GBV or even eradicate it.
“Because GBV actually impacts and undermines women’s health, dignity, security and the autonomy of survivors as it remains shrouded or masked in a culture of silence, which is a human rights violation,” Dr Alependava said.
Male Advocacy Program Lead Regional Facilitator Melkie Anton highlighted that the problems of GBV and VAWG are exacerbated by cultural and traditional practices and beliefs that have been misinterpreted to discriminate against and violate the rights of women and adolescent girls.
Yesterday, the workshop participants learned about the importance of their roles as male advocators and their roles and responsibilities as men in helping their communities, families and women to care for their families regardless of their gender.
The MAP engages men in critical conversations to reflect on the privileges and entitlements accrued by inequalities between men and women and to consider their own behavior towards women in their families and communities.
The program encourages men to become ‘agents for change’ and non-violent role models in their communities by teaching other men about gender roles, gender equality, masculinity and to advocate for non-violent behavior.
By RAYMOND HULANGA
Solomon Star, Honiara
