Kiribati Family Health and Support Study H a STUDY on VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN and CHILDREN and WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE on STUDY a Ealth K
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© SPC, 2010 – Cover design: Muriel Borderie – SPC Publications Section – Front cover photo: Henriette Jansen – Back cover photo: Office of Te Beretitenti KiriBati Family Health and SUPPort Study H A STUDY ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE ON A STUDY ealth K iri and B ati S U F PP amily ort S tudy Kiribati Family Health and Support Study: A study on violence against women and children Report prepared by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community for Ministry of Internal and Social Affairs Bairiki PO Box 75, South Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati Statistics Division Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Bairiki, Tarawa Published by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Noumea, New Caledonia, 2010 © Copyright Secretariat of the Pacific Community, 2010 All rights for commercial / for profit reproduction or translation, in any form, reserved. SPC authorises the partial reproduction or translation of this material for scientific, educational or research purposes, provided that SPC and the source document are properly acknowledged. Permission to reproduce the document and/or translate in whole, in any form, whether for commercial / for profit or non-profit purposes, must be requested in writing. Original SPC artwork may not be altered or separately published without permission. Original text: English Secretariat of the Pacific Community Cataloguing-in-publication data Kiribati family health and safety study: a study on violence against women and children / report prepared by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community 1. Family violence – Kiribati. 2. Wife abuse – Kiribati. 3. Child abuse – Kiribati. 4. Women – Violence against – Kiribati. 5. Children – Violence against – Kiribati. I. Title. II. Secretariat of the Pacific Community. 362.829 209 968 1 AACR2 ISBN: 978-982-00-0412-2 Disclaimer: The photographs in this publication are used as illustrations only and do not imply any opinions, behaviour or activity on the part of those portrayed. A representative from the Ministry of Internal and Social Affairs accompanied the photographers and sought the informed consent of all subjects before the photographs were taken. Cover, layout and design: Muriel Borderie – SPC Publications Section Prepared for publication at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Noumea, New Caledonia, 2010 Printed at Star Printery Ltd, Suva, Fiji Islands ii Kiribati Family Health and Support Study Ministerial preface am pleased to present the findings of the study on violence against women done in Kiribati I that was completed in July 2008. My foremost acknowledgement goes to our donor partners, the Australian Agency for International Development Honorable Minister (AusAID) and the United Nations Population Fund Kouraiti Beniato (UNFPA), and to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) as the implementing agency. The high rate of violence experienced by women ‘The Government of between 15 and 49 who were surveyed, 68%, is Kiribati, through my of great concern to government; however, it has been both challenged and accepted by some of our ministry, is committed to people. The alarming results of the survey challenge a policy of zero tolerance our way of thinking about the issue, and the fact that domestic violence has always been regarded of violence against women in Kiribati as a private matter. The Government and children.’ of Kiribati, through my ministry, is committed to a policy of zero tolerance of violence against women and children. Violence in our homes violates our commitment to uphold human rights for all citizens of Kiribati. The issue of gender inequality and violence has become a major impediment to social Against Women (CEDAW) in 2004, I have happily and economic development. witnessed several key milestones in addressing the issue of violence against women, an issue that this To put it simply, if our women experience violence government no longer regards as private, but as in their lives, their productivity will be affected in the a crime. home, the workplace, school and wherever women may be in their lifetimes. If we want to realise full I encourage a multi-sectoral approach as we prepare advancement for Kiribati, gender inequality should to actively protect our women and children through be addressed through various means within families, interventions that are sustainable and cost-effective. communities, churches, schools, councils and at I understand that this is a long-term undertaking all levels of government. Gender inequality, if not but I have confidence that this first baseline study addressed, will continue to have an adverse impact on violence against women in Kiribati is an eye- on our already poor social and economic indicators. opener to all of us at decision-making level and to Since ratification of the Convention on the our NGO (non-governmental organisation) partners Elimination of all forms of Discrimination and all government offices that have a part to play Kiribati Family Health and Support Study iii to eliminate violence against women and children in to the end have been part of the consultations and our beloved country. served as resources and advisors during the course of the study. I commend the willingness of the women around the country who made it possible to collect the Last, but not least, I wish to thank our donors information in this report, documenting the severity and regional partners: SPC, AusAID, the UNFPA and causes of violence in our society. I commend Pacific Sub-Regional office, the Regional Rights the men involved in the focus group discussions Resource Team, the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and and one-to-one interviews whose information also the United Nations Development Fund for Women contributed greatly to the report. I extend my (UNIFEM) Pacific, the United Nations Children’s gratitude to the Kiribati Family Health and Support Fund (UNICEF) and the SPC regional office in Study Committee comprised of key stakeholders in Honiara for their continued support to our national the country, who from the beginning of the study team in Kiribati. iv Kiribati Family Health and Support Study Remarks from Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Director-General, Secretariat of the Pacific Community ric Aubry É ender-based violence, more commonly Photo: known as violence against women and Gsometimes used synonymously with the term domestic violence, is the most pervasive and least recognised abuse of human rights in the world today. The degree to which gender-based violence occurs or is allowed to occur reflects the magnitude of the challenge ‘In many cases of facing each country to eliminate it. It is a common trend violence against women, that where violence against women is prevalent, violence against children is also a huge problem. ‘culture’ has been used by perpetrators as the In many cases of violence against women, ‘culture’ has been used by perpetrators as the main reason main reason for beating or for beating or punishing women. To a large extent, punishing women.’ cultures from time immemorial have been protective in nature, and it is important that this is understood, and that culture is not used as a convenient excuse to perpetuate violence against women and children. The Kiribati Family Health and Support Study, drivers of violence against women and children. funded jointly by the Government of Australia Prior to conducting the study it had been an and the United Nations Population Fund and accepted fact that violence against women and implemented jointly by the Secretariat of the Pacific children occurs in Kiribati, just as it does in many Community and the Government of Kiribati, is other countries of the region. What was difficult part of the global World Health Organization multi- to know was the magnitude of the problem. The country study on violence against women. It is only Kiribati Family Health and Support Study has for the third such comprehensive study conducted in the first time in the history of the country provided the Pacific region and the only one in Micronesia, a picture of just how prevalent and serious this the other two having been conducted in Polynesia problem is. The finding in the study that 68% (Samoa – 2000/2001) and Melanesia (Solomon of women (2 in 3) between the ages of 15 and 49 Islands – 2008/2009). The study sought to quantify years who have ever entered into relationships have the prevalence of violence against women and reported experiencing physical or sexual violence, or children and identify the most common causes of both, by an intimate partner, is a very serious cause violence. This information is intended to form the for concern. This level of prevalence is among the basis for interventions that would in the long term highest in the world. The study has been able to minimise and, it is hoped, ultimately eliminate the document the causes of violence in many instances. Kiribati Family Health and Support Study v These will provide the platform for developing In the current Kiribati Development Plan, the appropriate intervention strategies to address the government clearly outlines a strong commitment to underlying causes for violence. addressing gender inequality as follows: The impetus for positive action is already in place Improve and expand attention to the in Kiribati. To take it forward will require genuine problems and/or concerns of women political will and the belief that Kiribati is a country 1. Increase and promote the importance of the contribution that values all its people equally and will protect of women to socio-economic