Combating Violence against Women

The  Pacific Workshop Report sums up the factors that can result from or contribute to the perpetuation of violence against women in Pacific societies. It also highlights the strategies in place to deal with those challenges as well as articulates the integrated approach to eliminating violence against women - as developed by the Commonwealth Secretariat. Gender Management System: Integrated Approach Presentation.

Progress in Commonwealth Countries

Commonwealth countries reported some progress in combating violence against women. In 1999, at least 22 reporting countries (51 per cent) in all regions indicated that they had attempted to implement an integrated approach to address violence against women. In 1999, a large number of National Women Machineries (NWMs) reported a range of integrated and practical measures such as shelters/counseling services; 24-hour toll-free help lines; innovative and simplified reporting mechanisms such as family courts and video-links; and multi-sectoral training and legal guidelines for police and welfare agencies. Others co-ordinated gender training programmes, including training for police, undertook successful collaborative efforts with the media and improved co-ordination and collaboration with the NGOs, civil society and private sector.

Many governments emphasised the importance of involving and working closely with men as major partners in combating violence against women. Kenya launched a major multi-sectoral campaign on elimination of violence against women, with strong involvement from men. In Caribbean societies, concern has been raised regarding the marginalisation of young men within the educational and employment sectors, and the 'loss' of their participation in the national development processes.

Australia, Cameroon, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago emphasized the need to harmonise laws and mechanisms relating to violence against women and children at the national, regional and international levels. Cameroon also reported that in spite of having a well-developed judiciary system, the lack of harmonised procedures, Family Courts and gender-sensitive judges were barriers to the process of eradicating violence against women and children.

The health of a country is based on the tolerance level of violence against its citizens especially its women.

Action to Address the Commercial and Sexual Exploitation of Women and Children

As part of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Declaration and Programme of Action of the 1996 World Congress Against the Commercial and Sexual Exploitation of Women and Children, many Commonwealth governments have enacted legislation; developed National Plans on the commercial and sexual exploitation of women and children; and established Committees or Co-ordinating Bodies to spearhead Children's Rights. Two countries reported on being actively involved in the development of a draft Optional Protocol on the Convention on the Rights of the Child concerning sale and prostitution of children and children in armed conflict.

Twenty-four countries (56% of reporting countries) had National Plans of Action on the Rights of the Child. Family or Children's Courts or Children's Committees were already set up in many countries and others intended to do so by 2000. Some countries had undertaken special awareness programmes as part of the training and refresher programmes for police, lawyers and judiciary, social workers, community policy makers, educators, health professionals, civil society and the private sector. A few countries have managed to provide training in all the above-mentioned sectors, while the majority had only covered three or four sectors such as the police, health and social workers and, to a lesser degree, the judiciary. Others reported that very little awareness training had been provided.

It was noted by the majority of countries that the economic empowerment of women and the availability of alternative employment might be viable strategies to be looked at by governments in their search for ways to end violence against women, and the commercial and sexual exploitation of women and children. Many were linking the exploitation of women and children to national programmes relating to economic development, poverty-alleviation and employment creation, including micro-credit facilities.