SIPDP and RSIPF officers make pledge not to remain quiet about GBV

Officers of the Solomon Islands Police Development Program (SIPDP), the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and other stakeholders have made a pledge not to remain quiet about Gender Based Violence.

The pledge was made during a morning tea coordinated by SIPDP at the Rove Police Headquarters in Honiara on 29 November as part of the international 16 Days of Activism against violence against women and girls which started on 25 November which is ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and ends on 10 December, ‘Human Rights Day’. The theme for this year’s 16-Day campaign is: “Herem Vois Blong Me – Stop Violence Against Women and Girls”.

The morning tea was also organised to raise funds for Seif Ples which provides emergency care and medical services for women and children who have been victims of any form of violence.

“Please do not take this pledge lightly.

Take this pledge for the women and girls in your family, your community and your workplace,”

SIPDP Commander John Tanti told those who attended the morning tea.

“I want to thank SIPDP Advisors, locally engaged staff, RSIPF officers and other invited guests who joined us for the morning tea and made their pledge and donations for the great work that Seif Ples located here at Rove do for the victims of family violence,” says Commander Tanti.

Commander Tanti explained: “During the past 12 months, the SIPDP has contributed through a number of capacity development projects which resulted in improvements to the way the RSIPF respond to and manage gender based violence.

These include among others:
• A dedicated Advisor to support the RSIPF Sexual Assault Team;
• Assisting the RSIPF to strengthen their partnership with key stakeholders through the signing of the SAFENET MoU in July 2018;
• The opening of the new Family Violence (FV) Office at the Honiara City Central Police Station in July 2018; and
• Co-funding a two-week FV Coordinators Workshop which has resulted in an improvement in the reports of FV incidents in the provinces.