THE Family Support Center (FSC) and UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) on Wednesday launched a new agreement that increases support services to victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
This new agreement or project will ‘Increasing Outreach for survivors of Gender-Based Violence’ project ensures women and girl survivors have better access to counselling and case management services in the provinces of Guadalcanal, Isabel and Temotu.
Speaking during the signing of the project was the Center Manager for FSC Loroi Sisiolo.
Sisiolo said the FSC staff members are happy about the signing of the project with UN MCO which was made possible through MDFAT.
She said this new agreement will increase counselling on gender base-violence and abuse.
“And will also enable women and girls who experience violence to have access to counselling services and case management services throughout Honiara and other provinces,” Sisiolo explained.
Specifically, UN MCO concentrates on funding two provinces like Isabel and Temotu.
Currently in Isabel, FSC has two counselling setup committees for doing counselling on gender-based violence and abuse and the same with Temotu province.
There are other set ups from other provinces funded by other donors like International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)and International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Sisiolo said the partnership is part of the Pacific Partnership to end violence against women and girls program which is funded by European Union (UN) where it targeted program of the government of Australia and New Zealand and they cost share the Pacific Partnership Program.
“In Solomon Islands FSC is one organization who supported violence against women and girls and also provide counselling.
“With this new support agreement will enable FSC to continue to pay its five counsellors and support staff member which the driver who is responsible for transporting clients to referral partners of FSC,” she said.
She stressed that throughout this support it also support the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, which also houses one SAFENETs.
This SAFENETs have the members which every referral organization like FSC, Police and National Security, Public Solicitor Office, Christian Care Center and Solomon Islands Transparency Group are member of.
“The launch of this project, among other things, signifies UN Women and FSC’s ongoing relationship in providing essential counselling services to women and girls in Solomon Islands.
“We are pleased to continue this work through the Pacific Partnership,” said the UN Women Fiji MSCO Deputy Representative, Sarah Boxall.
By LACHLAN S. EDDIE
