Pacific Partnership launches paper on “What Works to End Violence against Women and Girls”
1 June 2022The Pacific Community’s (SPC)’s Social Citizenship Education (SCE) programme, as part of the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (Pacific Partnership), has today launched a paper on What Works to End Violence against Women and girls.
This paper is the first to be launched as a part of a series of knowledge products under the Pacific Partnership programme, in collaboration with partners such as SPC and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) partners like the House of Sarah, under the Pacific Partnership. The programme is funded primarily by the European Union (EU), and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, and UN Women, and is led by the Pacific Community (SPC), UN Women and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
The ‘’What Works’’ paper documents the learnings of the implementation of the SCE programme in 152 schools across Kiribati, the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The Pacific Partnership’s theory of change shows that the work to end violence against women and girls (EVAWG) in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) is enhanced when interventions work on transforming social norms through schools, places of faith/worship and sports. These three domains/spheres are central to life and community of all PICs.
Speaking at the launch of the paper, the Ambassador of the European Union for the Pacific, H.E. Sujiro Seam said, “Evidence shows that school-based programmes, if implemented correctly, can have profound impacts when it comes to promoting attitudes, norms and behaviours which are gender-equal and non-violent. Young people are a priority of the European Union’s social vision. Youth policy arises from the recognition that young people are an important resource to society, who can be mobilised to achieve higher societal goals.”
He added that culture and faith are an integral part of the Pacific’s ways of living and the European Union is pleased to note that in implementing the programme, SCE is based in Pacific values using cultural stories, folklore, legends indigenous to the region.
SPC’s Deputy Director General (Science and Capability) Dr Paula Vivili reiterated the need for school students and young people in the Pacific with the skills to make good, considered decisions work collaboratively and peacefully, and think critically and creatively is necessary to ensure the sustainable future of our Pacific countries.
“Social citizenship emphasises those social rights and obligations necessary to be part of, and enjoy equal opportunities, benefits and status in, a community. It refers to active, informed and responsible citizens who know their human rights and responsibilities, celebrate diversity, practice non-discrimination and inclusion, show empathy and are concerned about the welfare of others, and are willing to contribute to the development of the country,” he said.
He emphasised that the Ministries of Education in the Pacific are key drivers of the social citizenship process because they best understand what suits their country’s context and education systems, how to link schools and communities and how social citizenship education can be delivered to children in their country.
He highlighted that the launch of the “What Works to EVAWG” paper is about the work that has gone into the Social citizenship Education component of the Pacific Partnership.
“We may not see all the results and impacts of the program in our project period or indeed in our lifetimes. However, it is an investment in our Pacific people’s futures and global citizenry,” Dr Vivili said.
The “What Works to end EVAWG” paper is available on the SPC’s HRSD website here.
Useful link: Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls
Media Contact(s):
Kalpana Nizarat, SPC’s Communications and Visibility Officer | kalpanan@spc.int or +679 3370733
Samantha Rina, SPC’s Communications, Visibility and Engagement Officer | samanthar@spc.int or +679 3370733
About the Pacific Partnership:
The Pacific region has some of the highest rates of violence against women recorded in the world – twice the global average with up to two in every three Pacific women impacted by gender-based violence. Along with high rates of violence, women and girls in the Pacific region experience constant and continual inequalities including low levels of participation in decision making, limited economic opportunities, and restricted access to critical services and rights.
The Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (Pacific Partnership) brings together governments, civil society organisations, communities and other partners to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), and increase access to quality response services for survivors.
The EUR 22.7 million partnership is funded primarily by the European Union (EUR 12.7m) that supports all outcome areas of the programme, with the Governments of Australia (EUR 6.2m) and New Zealand (EUR 3.2m) providing targeted funding to the second outcome with cost sharing from UN Women (EUR 0.6m). The programme’s three outcome areas are jointly coordinated through a partnership between the Pacific Community (SPC) Human Rights and Social Development Division (HRSD), UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).
About SPC:
The Pacific Community (SPC) is an international development organization gathering 26 Member Countries and Territories. SPC harnesses science, knowledge and innovation for sustainable development, benefiting Pacific people, since 1947. www.spc.int
News Category
Media Release
Division
Human Rights and Social Development
Countries
Fiji
Tags
violence against women, HRSD, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), European Union (EU), Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
