Australia supports safer city approach for girls in Honiara

BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

WITH its full support to produce a safer city for girls in Honiara, the Australian Government through Plan International have funded the International Girl Child Day on Safe Cities Dialogue that was held at the SIDT office.

Based on researches conducted by Plan, adolescent girls infrequently feel safe in cities, as they experience physical and sexual violence as well they are often excluded from decision making processes that impact their safety.

It also shows that there is a major gap in programming and research pertaining to adolescent girl’s safety and inclusion in cities, as many urban safety and crime targets young men, and many women’s safety initiatives focus only on adult women.

Honiara City Clerk (2nd right) with Plan Internationals and HOD for YSW Rolland Pauku.

With raising levels of gender-based violence and urban insecurity around the world, the programme is being implemented at a vital time.

The approach focuses on Safety and access to public spaces, increasing girl’s active and meaningful participation as well Safe and autonomous mobility. It also places emphasis to Influence Governments and Policy Makers to make laws and city services more approachable and broad to girl’s safety, Influence families and communities to promote a supportive social environment that promotes girls safety and inclusion in cities and Engage adolescent girls to be active citizens and agents of change by building capacities strengthening assets, and creating opportunities for meaningful participation.

Participants doing group discussions

Girls often face sexual harassment, exploitation, and insecurity as they navigate the urban environment, while on the other hand they are more likely to be educated and politically active and less likely to be married at an early stage.

Working in partnership to address these issues, is the Honiara City Council, Young Women Christian Association and MWYCFA & Other Stakeholders.

The HCC Youth Division and YWCA will function as the implementing lead parties with the support of PIASI and stakeholders. HCC and YWCA will work together with stakeholders to implement Safer Cities for girl’s activities in supervising sessional instructors and volunteers for the Safer Cities for Girls (SC4G) activities as well providing a capacity assessment for HCC and YWCA, a Partaking Approach.

Ace Fourth Taxi Service Owner Mr Rolland Wale

In the meantime, they, together with the stakeholders are putting on plans to Function as the lead object in contract management and negotiations, Responsible for reporting to donor and contract oversight, Engage and financially responsible for sessional instructors in program operations during day to day activities and programs, Responsible for project cost, this includes project items, activity and human resources as well Providing induction into SC4G tools that HCC/YWCA can use in their implementation of project activities.

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