The National University of Vanuatu with the Association of Francophone Women of Vanuatu organized with the financial support of the Government of New Caledonia an event on Thursday, November 25, 2021 on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence towards Women.
The students and the public mobilized by attending in large numbers, at Tana Russet, the screening of the remarkable documentary "Bombardées" by Tetemba, followed by an exchange on the status of women in Melanesia.
Opened by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Vanuatu Jean-Pierre Nirua and by Gaston Wadrane Delegate of the Government of New Caledonia, this evening was particularly rich in emotions and proposals.
The film, subtitled in Bislama, recounts the journey of the victims and the attackers and plunges the audience into the heart of a disturbing reality.
The debate moderated by Dorosday Kenneth Watson raised difficult questions about the alarming scale of the figures and the mechanisms for placing victims under protection. It also made it possible to try to find solutions.
Betty Toa Zinner of UN Women, announced the establishment of a task force on this subject which will allow a strategy to be deployed throughout the territory.
Gabriel VusilaiI of VBTC underlined the importance of a strong speech to be relayed in the media and invited the public to watch the beautiful documentary Tru ta lens s which recounts the exemplary journey of young women from Vanuatu who have become airline pilots.
Marie Antoine Nirua, President of the Association of Francophone Women of Vanuatu pleaded to consider all the societal aspects that contribute to this problem: cultural but also economic, psychological and of course educational in order to establish a complete state of play to frame work the actions to be lead.
The Vanuatu Woman Center and the Family Protection Unit at the forefront of this fight presented the work carried out in recent years, in particular with the Assembly of the Chiefs of Vanuatu. The speakers
Ms. Vola Matas from Vanuatu and Lilly Joel responded very concretely to many questions from the public on raising awareness, working with the country's male leaders and on the means allocated to the protection of victims.
The National University of Vanuatu seized the extended hand of the associations who offered to continue to strengthen their collaboration.
Concrete and on-the-ground measures will be organized to make students aware of the victims' experiences and to find solutions to better alert and above all protect the students who are victims.
The student association, very sensitive to this difficult subject, also volunteered to contribute.
This highlight marks the beginning of 16 days of active mobilization even if it is indeed an everyday struggle. With this action, the young National University of Vanuatu demonstrates that its commitment to equal opportunities is concrete.
