Consultation on Family Protection Bill Begins

The Ministry for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs is this week hosting a national stakeholders consultation on the Proposed Family Protection Bill in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVAW) Officer of the Ministry, Pioni Boso says the consultation is aimed at getting feedback from stakeholders on the proposed Family Protection Bill.

Ms Boso says the Family Protection Bill followed a 2009 National Report which revealed that 64 percent of women and girls in Solomon Islands have experienced domestic violence.

According to the EVAW Desk Officer, the Ministry have already done provincial consultations on the Family Protection Bill ahead of the current National Consultations.

At the core of most family protection bills are measures to;

(a) Maximize the safety, protection and wellbeing of people who fear or experience domestic violence, and to minimize disruption to their lives; and

(b) Prevent or reduce domestic violence and the exposure of children to domestic violence; and

(c) Ensure that people who commit domestic violence are held accountable for their actions.

The Family Protection Bill National Consultation workshop is being hosted by the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs and will end this Friday.