Churches, Agents of Change through World Vision’s Channels of Hope program
October 12th, 2017 Honiara - Churches can be agents of change by partnering with World Vision through its Community Channels of Hope (CoH) project to reduce gender-based violence in the Solomon Islands. This was the main focus of a week-long workshop recently completed at the World Vision Country office in Honiara. Channels of Hope is a World Vision project supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO for Cooperation Program.
Following on from a two-day Church Leaders’ Conference held in early September at the Small Workshop in Mission (SWIM) base at Lungga, east Honiara, the workshop aims to equip faith and religious leaders to speak out against gender-based violence - a prevalent issue in Solomon Islands.
According to a 2009 Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC’s) Family Health and Safety Study, 2 out of 3 women have experienced physical and or sexual violence from their intimate partners, with 42 percent of women surveyed reporting physical and or sexual partner violence in the 12 months prior to the survey.
The study revealed that 37 percent of women reported they had experienced sexual abuse before the age of 15, primarily perpetrated by male acquaintances and family members. Additionally, women’s help-seeking behaviour in such situations is low, with only 18 percent saying they have reported the violence they experience to formal services.
Hence, recognising the influential role that churches play in Solomon Islands, World Vision is partnering with national church representatives as agents of change to address the occurrence of gender-based violence in the country.
Workshop discussions were centred on the biblical idea that God created men and women to be different but stand equally before their Creator. Therefore, men and women are to look out for each other rather than being dominant and unequal to each other.
Community Channels of Hope then encourages religious leaders to share the idea of positive gender relations in their church services, meetings as well as private counselling sessions.
World Vision Solomon Islands Country Director, Janes Imanuel Ginting said: “Channels of Hope has been very successful in reducing the issue of gender-based violence across communities in the country.”
Mothers Union President of the Anglican Church’s Diocese of Central Melanesia, Rose Anilabata appreciated World Vision for organising the follow-up workshop since last month’s Church Leaders Conference.
“I believe other non-government agencies have also played a major role in addressing gender-based violence in the country, but the difference for me through this workshop is that World Vision’s approach is more biblical in that it starts right from the beginning when God created men and women.”
“This is my first time to attend such a workshop and I really appreciate World Vision for organising it and the fact that it involves church leaders because churches are the foundation of our nation.”
About Channels of Hope
World Vision’s Channels of Hope methodology is an innovative Biblical approach, which works to change attitudes and behaviours regarding gender and gender equality.
In the Solomon Islands where more than 90 percent of the population are identified as Christian, the project supports faith leaders to promote gender equality and non-violence in their communities.
It provides church leaders, community leaders, police, and other service providers with improved capabilities for addressing and reducing gender-based violence (GBV) and works with these groups to help increase understanding of the causes of GBV.
The project also builds links between existing support services and communities to help survivors of GBV find support.
World Vision has Channels of Hope projects currently running in Makira Ulawa, Malaita, Temotu, Weathercoast of Guadalcanal and Honiara.