Reducing Violence Against Women in Melanesia and East Timor

The Australian Government today launched a new report that outlines
Australia's framework for reducing violence against women in Melanesia
and East Timor.

The framework follows an AusAID Office of Development Effectiveness
report last year which found violence against women in Melanesia and
East Timor is severe, pervasive and constrains development.

Violence against women severely limits women's social, political and
economic participation and puts significant strain on national
economies.

*Australia has a policy of zero tolerance for violence against
women,* Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said.

*Addressing violence is critical to achieving the Millennium
Development Goals.*

Australia's framework for action - set out in the new Stop Violence:
Responding to violence against women in Melanesia and East Timor report
- will support partner countries to stop violence by:

* Improving access to justice through work such as strengthening
laws and policies and enhancing women's knowledge of their rights;

* Increasing women's access to support services;

* Preventing violence against women by supporting community
awareness and advocacy, education and promotion of women's leadership
and empowerment; and

* Supporting an integrated approach so that systems work together
effectively.

*Violence against women has serious and often devastating
consequences for victims, their extended families and their
communities,* Minister for the Status of Women Tanya Plibersek said.

*The Rudd Government is committed to tackling this issue in
Australia, by developing a National Plan to Reduce Violence against
Women, as well as helping our region and the rest of the world.*

The framework for action to stop violence will build on the work of
Australia, partner governments, international development agencies and
community groups in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and
East Timor.

The Stop Violence: Responding to violence against women in Melanesia
and East Timor report can be found at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/.


Dr Susan Harris Rimmer
Building Democracy and Justice After Conflict
http://cigj.anu.edu.au/democracy/about/index.php
Centre for International Governance and Justice
Regulatory Institutions Network
College of Asia and the Pacific, RSPAS
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200
Email: harriss@law.anu.edu.au
Phone: +61 2 612 56768
Fax: +61 2 612 51507
M: 0406 376 809