Regional Partners Join Forces for Asia-Pacific Forum on Preventing Violence against Women and Girls Through Social Norms Change
17 December 2015
The Australian Government recently joined forces with UN Women, UNFPA and the Korean Women’s Development Institute to host the first Asia-Pacific Forum on preventing violence against women and girls through social norms change. The two day event on 1 to 2 December brought together close to 100 policymakers, advocates and educators from 22 countries working to prevent violence against women and girls.
Participants shared evidence, practical tools and innovative approaches that are helping break down harmful attitudes and behaviours that lead to gender-based violence.
Recognising the critical role played by men and boys speaking out about these human rights abuses, Australia hosted a panel session on men’s role in social norms change. The session featured three leading Australian male advocates of gender equality, respectful relationships and healthy role-modelling: Dr Bob Montgomery, Queensland-based clinical psychologist; Michael O’Connell, South Australia’s first Commissioner for Victims’ Rights; and Mohammed El-leissy, Melbourne-based community activist and comedian.
Violence against women and girls is a significant human rights violation that severely limits women’s social, economic and political participation.
In Thailand, and the ASEAN region more broadly, Australia is working with regional partners to help improve justice systems for victims of various forms of violence and exploitation, including human trafficking.
“Eliminating violence against women, everywhere, is an Australian Government priority domestically and is a part of Australia’s foreign policy and overseas aid program” said Paul Robilliard, Australian Ambassador to Thailand.
Across the Asia-Pacific, the UN is working with governments and civil society to adopt and enforce laws to end impunity for violence, enhance women’s access to justice and support services, and support community-led movements for prevention. Regional Director of UN Women, Roberta Clarke reflected on the pervasiveness of the issue: “We need to work harder and smarter on prevention, understanding better the social psychology of violence against women.”
The Forum was part of a series of events that began on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marking the beginning of 16 Days of activism against gender-based violence, a time to galvanise action to end violence against women and girls around the world. These events included the lighting up of the Australian Embassy in Orange – in support of the United Nations’ Orange the World campaign – and an international film festival featuring nine award-winning feature films and documentaries from around the world on the issue of violence against women.