She is highly respected in both her province and country and spends a majority of her time travelling around the province for work commitments.
So it came as a pleasant surprise when
participants found her sitting amongst them for this week’s Community Family
Violence Reduction workshop in Buala, Isabel province.
Despite her busy schedule, Hon. Rhoda attended the full week’s workshop.
“No one is above the effects or being affected by family violence.
“As Minister for Community Affairs and as
Deputy Premier, it is in my interest to work against family violence because
not only does it affect a majority of our people, but the effects are felt across
all areas of life – crime, finance, health and the development of our young
people to name a few,” she said.
Thirty participants including Hon. Rhoda gathered in Buala for the workshop. The workshop was coordinated by the Isabel United to Stop Family Violence team, an alliance of Isabel stakeholders including RSIPF, Ministry of Community Affairs, Ministry of Health, Save the Children Australia and the Mothers Union.
The Buala workshop marks the end of a successful year for the new team which included four workshops around the province encompassing participants from a majority of Isabel province.
As well as participants from Havulei,
Kokota, Kmaga, Koviloiko and Tirotogna wards the workshop was also attended by
key stakeholders including Church
of Melanesia HIV/AIDs
programme field worker Rebecca Moli and Save the Children Team Leader Eddie
Kanijama Kopola.
Isabel has a strong matrilineal culture yet family violence is still a growing issue. More than half of all women in the Solomon Islands have experienced some form of gender-based violence.
The Solomon Islands has the third highest
rate of family violence in the entire world so it is no wonder that in his
opening remarks to the workshop Provincial Police Commander Gabriel Manelusi
called family violence a ‘sickness to our country’.
Buala RSIPF Family Violence Officer Clera Gatho said that the workshops aimed to empower communities to take a proactive role in advocating the public message that family violence is not welcome in their communities.
“Family violence is one of the most common
crimes in Isabel. These workshops are about the police, government and
community working together to reduce this,” she said.
As well as the training for community
representatives, the workshop ended with a public rally to mark White Ribbon
Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Participant Susan Bako from Sisiga said that it was important for participants to go back to their communities and work closely with their Chiefs and leaders to promote awareness.
She said that reducing family violence was
in everyone’s interest and that participants should encourage their communities
to talk out against family violence.
Addressing family violence requires the commitment of the whole community, something reflected by the equal gender representation of the workshop. Participant Silas Leziton, Community Officer for Kia/Havulei wards, said that men had just as much responsibility as women to stop family violence.
“Men have no right to commit family violence.
“You don’t hurt your wife or constantly put her down. Women have rights.” He said that people need to learn good communication skills so that they have strong happy relationships.
“If we work together - men and women - we
can improve the whole village.”
For Hon. Rhoda, the workshop is a good start to creating safe and violence-free communities.
“Lots of women are scared of reporting
family violence even if they are being treated like animals. We need to talk to
our men about changing their ways. It’s hard within our culture but it’s
important because women are hurting. Things are deteriorating. It’s getting
worse.”
At the recent Mothers Union General Conference in Temotu Hon. Rhoda noticed that women from all around the Solomon Islands were saying the same thing.
“They felt disconnected from their government and didn’t feel heard or represented. Our politicians need to go to the people and dialogue with them.
“It is also important that people feel free to talk to their representatives on an equal ground. It is for these reasons that I am attending this important workshop.
“I go to workshops because it helps inform
my politics. You can only have plans for people when you sit with them and
listen to their needs.”
Hon. Rhoda knows that it is important that we work at both the community and government level to reduce family violence.
“Isabel women are powerful but they need resources and support like this workshop. More women should advocate this. There are very few women inside government. It’s very lonely.
“I need more women’s support and I need more women to join me...Inside I can advocate and create a bridge across the barriers that support family violence.
“But I worry about what will happen if no one replaces me. We need more women to come in to fight this fight at the highest level...It takes all of us to address this.”
By Claire Varley
Networked Communities Officer
Isabel Provincial Government
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