Coalition agrees on plan

THE Coalition of Parliamentarians to end gender-based violence agreed to their 2021 plan of action, and to pledge to role model a “gold-standard” of behaviour.
Their pledge to address gender-based violence came at a critical time.
The last weeks had seen a steady stream of extreme violence against women and girls.
The coalition were concerned at the numerous reports of sorcery-related torture, incest and family violence, the sexual assault of children, and the abuse of police and security guard powers.
Coalition co-chair and NCD Governor Powes Parkop said reports of domestic and sexual violence perpetrated against women and children reminded all of the extent of the GBV crisis facing the country.
“Women and children deserve to feel safe in our communities,” Parkop said.
“We all have to do more than we are doing now otherwise such barbarism might become the norm, the culture and way of life in our country, if it’s not already.”
The National GBV strategy launched in 2016 was aimed at guiding Government’s efforts to address GBV in the country.
Health Minister Jelta Wong said the strategy and its related implementation plan were good framework for action.
“We need the Government to provide full funding to the National GBV Secretariat, so that they can actively drive and support change,” he said.
Coalition co-chair Allan Bird said provincial governments needed to set up their GBV secretariats.