Address GBV to prevent social problems: Goi

ISSUES relating to gender-based violence (GBV) need to be addressed promptly to prevent more social problems in the future, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Religion Wake Goi says.
He was commenting on the first report of the Special Parliamentary Committee on GBV in Parliament last Thursday.
“We can build a good economy in the next 20 years but we will not be successful at the end if the people do not have a good life,” he said.
Goi said it was good that a budget was included as money was needed to address GBV issues and the Government through the Treasury and Finance departments needed to put the budget through and support the GBV secretariat enabling it to address GBV cases.
Goi said he witnessed an incident in Port Moresby where bystanders intervened to prevent a man beating his wife but the woman took the husband’s side and attacked the people who were trying to defend her which can be quiet difficult to understand.
He said women were withdrawing court cases filed against their husbands for abuse because they were afraid of them once they came out or that they were dependent on them.
He said there were so many issues that encompassed GBV hence it was good that these issues were discussed but the factors that built up and led to GBV needed to also be highlighted and addressed which included issues such as:

• SOME men having more than one wives;
• YOUNG women engaging in risky activities;
• MEMBERS of the family not knowing their roles; and,
• LACK of family time

“All these issues are there and need to be addressed holistically,” he said.