BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
WOMEN of Solomon Islands have been called on to help their men counterparts understand violence so that they can combat it together.
Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Women, Youth Children and Family Affairs Dr Cedrick Alependava made this appeal yesterday at the launching of the ‘do no harm’ research in Honiara.
He said violence has been increased in an alarming rate and it needs women to help men understand the violence so that together it can be combated.
“Most importantly steps to end this global problem (violence) are engaging everyone, including men and boys because violence against women negative affects men and boys in two ways: directly as survivors of violence and indirectly through their exposure to it.
“Engaging and helping men boys to understand violence as loving, supportive and involved husband and fathers is critical to achieving sustained transformational change,” Mr Alependava said.
He said that engaging men and boys in training to prevent violence helps other men recognise that this is not just a women’s issue and that we need everyone’s help to make a change.
Also incorporating men and boys to become stout agents and advocates to end violence against women and children is an essential element to solving a global problem.
Moreover he believes that his comment will at least bring everybody one step closer to engage men and boys and put an end to a problem that affects all of us.
