UN Women will be screening two documentaries focusing on ending violence against women and girls in the Pacific, Monday.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on gender based violence in the Solomon Islands.
Panellists will include youths from UN Women’s partner organisations and students.
All are welcome to attend the screening which will start at 4pm at the Museum Auditorium.
UN Women will be holding an information booth at the Museum from 2pm onwards.
The event is part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign—a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness and gaining wider support to end gender-based violence.
Under the 2013 theme ‘If iumi garem peace insaed famili, bae iumi garem peace insaed kantri’, a variety of public events have been happening around Honiara throughout the 16 Days campaign.
Violence against women in the Pacific is now recognized as a leading violation of human rights, a challenge to economic and social development, and a threat to human security.
In the Pacific, recent studies show that violence against women and children has reached a critical level. Two out of every three Pacific women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
Pacific leaders are steadily placing increasing attention on measures to end violence against women throughout the region and a growing number of organisations—large and small—are trying to address this situation.
UN Women Solomon Islands, through its Pacific Regional Ending Violence against Women Facility Fund project, supports efforts to prevent gender-based violence in Solomon Islands.
Grantees from the Pacific Fund in 2012 were Solomon Islands Christian Association and Hunanawa Women’s Group.
Grantees from the Pacific fund in 2013 are Family Support Organisation, Family Support Centre and Solomon Islands Correctional Services.
The first documentary to be screened during the 16 Days of Activism campaign captures stories from a regional learning exchange convened by UN Women in 2012.
The exchange brought together those working in programs supported by the Pacific Regional Ending Violence against Women Facility Fund to share their experiences, successes and challenges.
The second documentary showcases how many Pacific Island organisations are looking at ways to prevent violence from happening in the first place and reveals the challenges and potential for deepening violence prevention work in the Pacific.
During a regional gathering of Pacific Fund grantees, organizations examined how to go beyond awareness raising to specific initiatives designed to transform attitudes, practices or behaviours that may contribute to violence.
The two documentaries were produced in 2013 with the support of Australian Aid programme and the UN Women National Committees of Australia and New Zealand.
UN Women’s event during the 16 Days of Activism will be themed ‘orange’ as part of the United Nation’s UNiTE campaign.
In 2008, the United Nations Secretary-General launched the UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and ending all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.
The campaign calls on governments, civil society, women’s organizations, men, young people, the private sector, the media and the entire UN system to join forces in addressing this global pandemic.
In 2013, the UNiTE campaign has made the call to ‘Orange the World’ during the 16 Days of Activism in order to create a symbolic vision of a positive future free of violence against women and girls.
UN Women Solomon Islands staff says they will be wearing orange at the event on 9 December and support others to join them.
For further information on this event or on the Pacific Regional Ending Violence against Women Facility Fund project please contact UN Women on 22453.
