UNIFEM and the Thai government convene a regional forum on how men can do more to end violence against women, sharing good practice from Asia-Pacific.   

PRESS RELEASE

United Nations, Bangkok, 3 September 2007

UNIFEM and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Royal Thai Government, jointly host a regional conference on Men as Partners to End Violence Against Women on 3-4 September 2007 at the UN Convention Centre, Bangkok.

The forum brings together over 100 representatives from the public and private sectors and the civil society in Asia to learn from each other, and brainstorm how to move forward. “For there is an urgent need to systematically generate a critical mass of men advocating for gender-sensitive values and practice in which girls, boys, men and women together build cultures and communities of peace, security and equality in gender relations,” Mr Poldej Pinprateep, Deputy Minister for Social Development and Human Security said at the opening ceremony.

“Ending violence against women needs a transforming of mainstream economic, political and socio-cultural structures and processes. Guided by the Beijing Platform for Action that calls for the engagement of men as partners to end violence against women, over years UNIFEM has been working with governments and civil society, including men in different sectors,” said Jean D’Cunha, Regional Programme Director of UNIFEM in East and Southeast Asia.

Ending violence against women is a key strategic goal of UNIFEM worldwide. In the region, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, administered by UNIFEM, supports community-based initiatives in Cambodia,Thailand and Vietnam. In Timor-Leste, UNIFEM is implementing a Community-Based Programme to Support Women in Peacebuilding and Prevention of Sexual Violence.

Lessons across sectors to be shared during the two-day meeting include those from:

• Cambodia, where Mr Chhay Kim Sore of the Cambodian Men’s Network for the Elimination of Violence Against Women observed that “Due to widespread acceptance and practice of violent masculinity, non-violent men feel isolated because of their gentle behaviour. Their masculinity comes under question and is in crisis. So we who possess gentle masculinity must speak out and challenge the dominant aggressive role model. In this way, we can protect and promote non-violent masculinity, while confronting the structure that leads to violent masculinity.”
  
  
• Timor-Leste, where Father Francisco Jose Baeza mobilised the parish in the area bordering West Timor to help victims of sexual and gender-based violence, while battling the rise of prostitution.
  
  
• From the corporate sector, The Body Shop Australia has raised significant funds to support women affected by domestic violence, contributed to new research about attitudes towards domestic violence and lobbied governments to increase support for children affected by domestic violence, Graeme Wise, Managing Director of The Body Shop Australia told the conference.
  
  
• In Indonesia, the promulgation of the Domestic Violence Law in 2004 and efforts by the Ministry of Women Empowerment over the years have placed EVAW on the agenda of traditionally male-centred institutions such as the Defense Ministry, the Police Department, the Supreme Court. Men religious leaders and community leaders are also receptive given awareness, said Dr Heru P. Kasidi, Assistant to Deputy Minister for EVAW, Ministry of Women Empowerment of Indonesia.
  

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UNIFEM is the United Nations Development Fund for Women. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies that promote women’s human rights, political participation and economic security.

Please visit www.unifem.org or www.unifem-eseasia.org
For further information on the meeting/interview opportunities relating to the meeting, contact Supapohn Kanwereayotin
Tel: 02- 288- 2589 or 081-428-9897
Email: supapohn.kanwerayotin@unifem.org

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