Gender violence

Tonga to launch National Multisectoral Service Delivery Protocol

The protocol will be used to respond to cases of gender-based violence, as stakeholders from the government and civil society organisations validate the kingdom’s first ever-national protocol that coordinates multisectoral responses to gender-based violence.

Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Chief Executive Officer, Dr Fotu Fisi’iahi said they are working on improving their services.

16 Days Activism launched at Van2017 Festival Village

This important occasion was marked at the Festival Village, which was a part of the Van2017 Korman site, and was run in conjunction with the Games Test Event where eight of the 14 sports were on display and testing the venues and infrastructure took place ahead of the December 4 Games opening.

The 16 Days of Activism was launched with a word of prayer followed by official speeches by leaders of the Government and NGOs.

Pakistan singer stops show to rescue harassed girl

A video of Atif Aslam interrupting his live performance in Karachi on Saturday has been shared thousands of times.

The popular singer told the alleged harassers: "Have you ever seen a girl? She could be your mother or a sister."

Pakistani media said the venue was overcrowded and that several girls reported being harassed.

Argentina announces new gender violence plan

Mr Macri said every 37 hours a woman was attacked in Argentina and that education was the key to ending deeply rooted cultural patterns of violence.

The plan, due to start next year, includes creating a network of women's refuges, and money for the electronic tagging of violent men.

Last year 235 women were killed in gender violence incidents in Argentina.

The government's National Plan for the Eradication of Violence against Women is putting into force a 2009 law.

 

Sentences shortened in Pacific courts due to gender bias

The International Centre for Advocates Against Discrimination says its analysis of hundreds of sexual and gender-based violence cases in seven Pacific island countries provides crucial evidence that women are not accessing justice on an equal basis with men.

Creating Safe Spaces for Women and Girls in Tonga

Director of the Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) Tonga, ‘Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki describes their WCCC initiative as the One Stop Crisis-Team Support service, “the team is made up of our counsellor advocates, a police officer, a registered nurse, a legal advocate and our temporary safe house and care workers.”

UN says gender-based violence could hold back Pacific development

The UN's '16 days of Activism against Gender-based Violence' campaign is currently in full-swing, with events taking place throughout the Pacific.

The UN Women's Deputy Representative for Fiji, Nicolas Burniat says the issue affects the majority of women, with two out of three women in the region experiencing violence.

"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."