Campaign against Gender-based Violence sparks events

Transcript

The Pacific has been awash with the colour orange over the past week, as a campaign highlighting violence against women has sparked events in more than eight countries.  

The United Nations campaign, 16 days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, is this year focusing on prevention.

Bridget Grace reports.

TUPOU VERE: But Amnon refused to listen to her, he was stronger than she was, and so he raped her.

That's the House of Sarah's Gender Specialist, Tupou Vere, reading a passage from the Old Testament about the son of King David, who raped his half-sister Tamar. In this year's campaign, the House of Sarah in Fiji, part of the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia is running workshops looking at how scripture can help end violence against women. Ms Vere, says it is the first year they have used bibliodrama, a form of role-play using bible stories.   

TUPOU VERE: And we've found, ohh, we've found it's been extremely, extremely helpful in discussing violence against women.  Because it involves everyone that comes to the bible study, engaging youth, different age-groups, men and women, different ethic groups.

She says the bible is clear that men and women are equal, and violence towards women is not godly behaviour. Fiji is also the first country in the Pacific to launch the Girl Guides Voices against Violence badge, as part of the 16 days campaign. Girl Guides is based in schools in Fiji, and nine primary schools and 150 girls have so far taken part in the project. The Fiji Girl Guides Deputy Commissioner, Sophia Waqanidrola, says the badge teaches girls to recognise what gender-based violence is and to speak up.  

   
SOPHIA WAQANIDROLA: In most of the violence cases, there is inequality, they have to be aware of the violence that they may experience in the home.  It's mostly to create an awareness for them and teaching them on what to do.

Next year the project will be rolled out to 100 primary schools in the country. In Samoa, the Rugby Union is holding an Eliminating Violence Against Women Rugby 7s tournament this Saturday. They are expecting 12 men's and six women's teams to compete. The General Manager of Rugby in Samoa, Brian Hopley, says as a male-dominated sport it's important they get the message out.  

BRIAN HOPLEY: I think it's part of being socially responsible.  And being probably the major sport in Samoa we feel that it's part of our duty to promote this aspect.

Mr Hopley says he plans to hold the event annually, as a means to both raise awareness and promote womens rugby. The Pacific Prevention Domestic Violence Programme was established in 2006 with the aim of raising Police standards in domestic violence cases. Its programme officer, Nga Utanga, spoke at the screening of Once Were Warriors during Suva's Nothing Less than Equal Film Festival. He says the message of the film is about people having the courage to overcome violence.

NGA UTANGA: It's about the ability of communities and societies to change.  And that's what we're gradually seeing in the Pacific.  We're seeing, a long way to go, but we are seeing change in terms of social norms.

The film festival is the first in Fiji to focus on violence against women and is showing nine award-winning shorts and feature films over 11 days.  The United Nations says the issue of violence against women in the Pacific has gained increased visiblility in recent years, with governments taking the issue more seriously. But the UN Women's Deputy Representative for Fiji, Nicolas Burniat, says gender-based violence is still wide-spread.

NICOLAS BURNIAT: This is the largest single violation of human rights in the world, it's also the crime that's the least prosecuted and punished.  And it's a real threat to peace and development.  But if you look at the Pacific the amounts are double.

Mr Burniat says two out of three women in the region experience violence. He says the issue affects society collectively and if change doesn't occur, future development in the Pacific will be compromised. The UN 16 days campaign concludes on December 10th.