I attended a meeting hosted by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) looking at the possibilities of developing a program for perpetrators specifically designed for the context of the Pacific.
Whilst there are many programs available globally, including closer to home in NZ and Australia, the Pacific Network Against Violence Against Women Male Advocacy Handbook specifically designed by the FWCC, network partners (including the WCCC) and masculinities consultant Stephen Fisher, the Male Advocacy Handbook proved the critical importance and need for programs to be designed by the pacific for the pacific, whilst drawing from best practices from around the world.
While I question the effectiveness of perpetrator programs I also acknowledge that if the human rights based framework isn’t used when developing it including a gender critique, the program will most probably fail.
So I look forward to working yet again with the FWCC and the PNAVAW in developing yet again a ground breaking program for the pacific.
