WUNRN
31 March 2008
Press Release
First Ever Pacific Men's Training on Violence Against Women & Gender Equality - 34 Men, 6 Pacific Countries
For
the first time ever, Pacific men came together to discuss and analyse the
issue of violence against women and look at ways of working with women’s
organizations to bring an end to the inequalities faced by women. “This is
actually a milestone in terms of work for women’s human rights in the Pacific”,
said Shamima Ali, Coordinator of FWCC and convenor of the training meeting.
According
to Ali, this work has been more of an evolution with progress built on other
milestones over the years. “For us and the Pacific communities, the timing was
right, because there is significant awareness on women’s rights issues and more
specifically violence against women so it is timely that men be involved in
this work”, said Ali.
This
training meeting was unique because it brought together 34 men from 6
countries in the Pacific Region, and these are men who have undergone various
stages of training and who are working alongside women’s organizations in their
own countries. “We have men from
Facilitating
the training was Stephen Fisher who is an expert on masculinities and
programmes on violence against women. “For this training meeting we brought a
facilitator from
The
training meeting was officially closed by the HE James Batley, the Australian
High Commissioner.
================================================================
To leave the list, send your request by email to: wunrn_listserve-request@lists.wunrn.com.
Thank you.