BY SAMIE WAIKORI
The Malaita Provincial Government, through its Women Development Desk and safenet partners, launched the 16-Days Activism Campaign against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Auki yesterday.
The 16-Days Activism is a global campaign on GBV observed annually from November 25th to December 10th. In Malaita, safenet partners will visit identified communities with advocacy programs related to the campaign.
The campaign was launched under the theme “United to End Violence Against Women and Girls,” which encourages collective efforts in the fight against GBV.
Malaita’s Deputy Provincial Secretary, Mr. Peter Herehura, stated that the province has the highest recorded cases of GBV in the country. He stressed the need for united efforts by all stakeholders to tackle GBV in Malaita. As part of these efforts, the 16-Days Activism Campaign aims to:
The campaign aims to strengthen commitment to eliminating violence against women and girls and accelerate progress toward ending such violence. It also addresses the urgent need for increased investment in policies, strategies, and resources to prevent and respond to violence. Emphasizing the importance of investing in autonomous, feminist women’s rights movements, the campaign calls for action at all levels to prevent violence, hold perpetrators accountable, and invest in solutions. It seeks to challenge cultural practices that perpetuate gender inequalities, encourage rejecting and reporting abusers, and promote signing the pledge against GBV. Additionally, it focuses on protecting children from exposure to violence and harmful content on the internet and social media, developing policies to prevent and address GBV, and organizing targeted community outreach and dialogue.
Herehura emphasized that calls for action like the 16-Days Activism are crucial as they shine a spotlight on violence against women. He added that such campaigns create public awareness about what needs to change to prevent these issues at local, national, regional, and international levels.
The Malaita Province Women’s Development Desk will coordinate the campaign in partnership with safenet partners, including World Vision, SIPPA, Authorize Justice, RSIPF, Malaita Christian Care Centre, Health, and others.
During the 16-Days Activism, the safenet partners will conduct GBV advocacy and awareness campaigns in the identified communities in and around Auki, including Lilisiana, Tautaumalefo, Kunu, Kokomu, Sikitae, and Kwainaketo.
