Advocating against violence vital

Advocating against all forms of violence and discrimination is everybody’s business, says a government official.
Acting manager for Gender Equality Social Inclusion (GESI) in the Department of Personnel Management Emmanuel Ginis said this during an information session in Port Moresby yesterday.
The session was attended by various government department representatives and non-government organisations that advocate against violence in the country.
It was also announced during the session that 20 days of human rights activism aimed at ending violence against women and children in the country would be observed starting from Nov 20 by government agencies and partners.
Ginis said the information session was about informing the various agencies and NGOs to advocate on the issue of all forms of violence in the country in their various capacities.
“It (violence) is a human rights issue. It is also a human resource issue.
“That is why the Department of Personnel Management has created positions for GESI in a number of agencies and government departments.”
He said GESI was all about equipping public servants with basic information about addressing all forms of violence in their homes, workplaces and the communities and advocate where they could take the message out to the rest of PNG.
Ginis said the work of the GESI was to only complement what organisations were doing and give that extra support.