Eliminating Violence against Women in Pacific
through Multi-Track Diplomacy
Sherly Mega Putri & Elisabeth A. Satya Dewi
Department of International Relations, Parahyangan Catholic University
E-mail: sherlymgptr@gmail.com & elisabeth.dewi@unpar.ac.id
Abstrak
Isu kemanusiaan yang sering menjadi masalah di negara berkembang, kerap bersinggungan dengan isu gender. Memiliki predikat sebagai kawasan dengan prevalensi data kekerasan tertinggi, negara-negara di Pasifik memiliki berbagai faktor penyebab yang memaklumi praktik dominansi dan diskriminasi gender dalam masyarakatnya. Menanggapi fenomena ini, pemerintah di negara-negara Pasifik kerap mendapatkan bantuan dari aktor hubungan internasional yang lain, salah satunya adalah UN Women. Dengan dukungan dari Pemerintah Australia, badan PBB tersebut membantu berbagai pihak dari beragam kalangan di Pasifik untuk mewujudkan upaya mengeliminasi kekerasan terhadap perempuan sebagai suatu bentuk ketidaksetaraan berbasis gender paling menonjol di kawasan Pasifik. Keterlibatan berbagai pihak dari beragam kalangan menunjukkan adanya keterkaitan antara aktor dalam Diplomasi Multi-Jalur dengan program yang diinisiasi oleh UN Women. Menggunakan teori Diplomasi Multi-Jalur dan konsep Kekerasan Berbasis Gender, penelitian ini mengidentifikasi keterlibatan kesembilan aktor Diplomasi Muti-Jalur dalam merespons isu kekerasan terhadap perempuan di Pasifik. Respons tersebut menjadi salah satu upaya perwujudan perdamaian dunia, yang juga menjadi tujuan akhir Diplomasi Multi-Jalur itu sendiri. Hasil dari respons tersebut berwujud partisipasi serta kontribusi mereka dalam lima program di bawah Pacific Fund.
Kata kunci: Pasifik, kesetaraan gender, bantuan luar negeri, Diplomasi Multi-Jalur, upaya perdamaian.
Abstract
Humanitarian issue that often raised as a problem for developing countries, is most likely linked to gender issue. Having the label as region with the highest violence data prevalence, Pacific Islands countries possess assorted factors that tolerating the practice of dominance and discrimination of gender amongst their societies. Responding this phenomenon, the government in Pacific Islands countries are oftentimes receiving assistance from other international relations actor, in which one of them is UN Women. With the support from Australian government, this UN body assist numerous institutions from various level in making the effort to eliminate violence against women as the most protrude form of gender based discrimination in Pacific. Involvement of other parties from diverse groups indicate the relations between actors of Multi-Track Diplomacy with the program initiated by UN Women. Using theory of Multi-Track Diplomacy and concept of Gender-Based Violence, this research identify the participation and contribution made by the nine tracks in responding violence against women issue in the Pacific. The response itself is one of the world peace endeavors, that is also the ultimate purpose of Multi-Track Diplomacy. Result of this response shaped in their participation and contribution within variety of programs under Pacific Fund.
Keywords: Pacific, gender equality, foreign aids, Multi-Track Diplomacy, peacemaking.
Introduction
When conversation about sexuality still considered as a taboo, but sexual harassment or even violence still accepted as normal, are we going to continue letting gender discrimination happened in our daily lives? Bearing the status as non-traditional issue of international relations, the dynamics of gender equality developed even more these days. Unlike the traditional international relations issue that prone to the classic state security values and war-related interests, social phenomenon in the aspect of humanitarian, culture, or even nature is getting the attention. These issues considered worth all the work in order to shape better mindset and creating global development strategic plan that is responsive to human rights.
Nevertheless, in fighting to raise and maintain human rights on its respectable position, gender discrimination is still hardly extinct. One case as finding, for instance, is the fact that number of women whom politically participated in the parliament in Indonesia is measured to have imbalanced ratio compared with the nation’s female citizen. This occurrence shows that even we already have Convention on Elimination of All Form of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) applied globally, gender discrimination is still exist. This leads to the gruesome facts that another branch of global problem within gender discrimination, also include gender-based violence.
The World Bank recorded, cases of intercourse without consent and domestic violence are highly risked by women ranging from 15 to 44 years old. With that fact alone, there are 50% women experiencing sexual violence around the globe, with Pacific Islands countries holds the title of region with highest prevalence data, to the extent of 68% women as victims. This figures showed that gender-based violence is one of the most concerning form of gender discrimination, particularly in the Pacific. In response to the aforementioned phenomenon, various international relations actors offering hands under the spirit of equality and peace.
This paper intent to delve deeper on the correlation between this particular issue with the response of international relations actors, mainly international organization and state; identifying their role and exertion in line with the endeavors of world peace preservation. The objective linked to the implementation of Multi-Track Diplomacy by Australian Government and UN Women, in responding the gender discrimination issues in Pacific. This writing argues that Multi-Track Diplomacy, which often identical with conflict resolution, can also be applied to humanitarian issue, such as gender discrimination.
To narrowed the focus; Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Tonga will be the three cynosure countries, based on the variety of programs being held under participation of many international relations actor within ‘Pacific Fund’ by UN Women, started from 2013 and ended in 2017.
Theoretical Framework
To further understand the situation and perspective, the concept of Gender-Based Violence and theory of Multi-Track Diplomacy are used as the analysis lens.
A. Gender-Based Violence
Theoretically, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) concept is a fuse of several other disciplines that further explains on how violent acts occurred as a response towards the gender of someone. With various background factor such as expressive tension, impulse force, societal legitimation, or observed behavior, GBV applied in numerous type as well. In this context, types of violence ensued only revolves around: (1) physical: kicking, burning, dragging by hair, etc.; (2) sexual: rape, forced penetration, sexual slavery, unwanted sexual comments, etc.; (3) verbal: yelling, hurtful jokes, spreading rumors, catcalling, etc.; (4) social: excessive possessiveness, threats of harm, stopping a person to see their friends and family, etc.; and (5) financial: forcing someone to quit a job, controlling an individual’s finance, withholding money for essential items, etc. These five types of violence are the most common forms to be happened to women worldwide.
B. Multi-Track Diplomacy
Essentially, as a part of Diplomacy that often involve official procedure from government, Multi-Track Diplomacy (MTD) is the implication of other parties outside government system to implement the work of diplomacy itself. Founded by U.S. Diplomat John McDonald, this type of diplomacy has nine actors act as tracks, collectively worked for peacemaking.
The tracks itself consists of: (1) Government, peacemaking through diplomacy; (2) Nongovernmental/ Professional; peacemaking through conflict resolution; (3) Business, peacemaking through commerce; (4) Private Citizen; peacemaking through personal involvement; (5) Research, Training, and Education, peacemaking through learning; (6) Activism, peacemaking through advocacy; (7) Religion, peacemaking through faith in action; (8) Funding, peacemaking through providing resource; and (9) Communications and the Media, world peace through information. All these nine tracks shall create a huge impact when worked together as a system; both when nine tracks simultaneously used or partially worked together.
Image 1. Multi-Track Diplomacy Matrix
Source: Institute of Multi-Track Diplomacy
Gender-Based Violence in Pacific
The awakening data reckoned in the Pacific showed that GBV is the most critical form of gender inequality in the region, particularly violence against women (VAW). Australia National Committee for UN Women stating, intimate partner violence data prevalence in Tonga reached the amount of 33%, while sexual violence is at 17%. Samoa reaching 41% for intimate partner violence and 20% for sexual violence, while Solomon Islands topped the other countries with 46% of intimate partner violence and 55% sexual violence. Worth to keep in mind, that this data only reflects the reported events.
This percentage became the evidence of how the acts of beating, coerced intercourse, heavy insults, belittled, controlling financially, and other form of VAW has degrading the rights and dignity of most female population in these three countries. The proof disclosed in a survey that says 60% of survivors claimed that their health is affected both physically and mentally by the VAW acts. Socially, the survivors also finds difficulty in accessing justice for themselves. Most of them are unaware that the authorities are serving for their best being, as they do not believe civil servants – police officers, for instance – are fully comprehend what kind of situation the survivors had to go through. Consequently, the society are not familiar with the violence-related help service access, both as survivor or witness.
Efforts from the government of respective countries in tackling such issues are seen with the establishment of several actions, such as Family Health and Safety Study in Samoa and Solomon Islands , National Policy on Gender and Development in Tonga , as well as building partnership with non-governmental organizations (NGO) to find the best resolutions. Nevertheless, the aforementioned 68% victim percentage still becoming the intercepted obstacle to combat VAW. Moreover, the entrenched notion in common society about gender stereotype also contribute to the practice of dominance and violence. Social construction that acknowledging the nature hierarchy of putting a woman as the more inferior, encouraging social legitimation for men to have special privileges. In this context, the privileges deliver women to act, dress, and think as humble as possible, in order to not causing unwanted attention or step in a higher level than men.
This kind of condition is not simply a reversing hand situation to be handled by government officials. Even the authority has to develop their performance in order to gain more trust from the victims, in regards of reporting, and improve the relationships with civil society. Hence, using another approach is important to be closer with their own people. In finding the suitable approach, government can seek and receive assistance from external parties.
Assistance from External Parties
Responding to the limited outcome by governments, foreign assistance from other entity are more than welcomed. In this case, UN Women and Australian Government showed their concern and resolution in practice.
As the gender equality and women empowerment body in the UN system, UN Women has worked since 2010 in accelerating the needs of women and eliminate all forms of discrimination. With the establishment of CEDAW, UN Women has spread its office around the world and helping governments from various region to implement the convention. In Pacific itself, UN Women has opened the sub-region office in Suva, Fiji. This office then covering 15 Pacific Islands countries with six core concerns; which are (1) access to economic opportunities; (2) political participation; (3) climate change; (4) conflicts; (5) HIV/AIDS; and (6) VAW. The last issue in particular, have several strategic plans and trust funds in support.
One of the trust funds UN Women Pacific holds to reaching out women in Pacific, is Pacific Regional Ending Violence against Women and Girl Fund, or Pacific Fund in short. Since 2009, this fund was designed to fulfill the needs of Pacific Islands countries as well as their organizations and networks in effort of gender equality as well as eliminating VAW. The focused priorities of this fund are preventing VAW and girls, expanding access to services for survivors, as well as advocacy and lobbying for legislative and policy change and implementation. In making the priorities into realization, Pacific Fund provides not only financial support, but also technical assistance.
Hence, aside from grants, main components from this trust fund include capacity building, resource development, supervising, and evaluation as well. These assistances are addressed to all social levels, from local, national, to regional ones. Receiver of the grants itself are invited from all sectors, both government bodies to civil society organizations, such as NGO, youth community, or even individual citizen. The candidates of grantees are expected to send a proposal in firsthand, then joining selection process by UN Women team before executing their VAW-related project.
After officially entering the list of grantees, the receiver then completing series of training. Technical training and sharing session with fellow Pacific Fund grantees are expected to give another understanding of VAW from other perspective, as well as promoting community-based approach. This approach then what will be used to help them and their project to reach the grass root level. Grantees of Pacific Fund are not limited to only receive funding from UN Women, opening the door for other entity to join the effort in eliminating VAW. Financial supporter of this fund itself are various, but largely taken by Government of Australia.
With its status as developed state in the Pacific area, Australia are explicitly making gender equality and women empowerment as one of its national interest, and the cause of its aid work and economic diplomacy pillar. Managed under Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy become the piece of authentic statement by Australian Government regarding commitment and interest to gender equality. As the 6th largest donor of UN Women, Australian Government also taking the VAW issue in Pacific into account. One of the implemented action is becoming the major donor of one of UN Women’s trust fund, Pacific Fund. The structure of Pacific Fund can be seen below:
Image 2. Pacific Fund flow structure
Source: Processed by Author
Programs within Pacific Fund
Within the year of 2013 to 2017, UN Women officially had “From Policy to Action: Ending Violence against Women and Girls in the Pacific” as the flagship five-year program with financial support largely from Pacific Fund. Plainly, Australian Government, UN Women, and grantees of Pacific Fund worked together as one within this program to accelerate the endeavors of combating VAW in Pacific, through multiple smaller scale projects.
“24-Hours Helpline” in Samoa
In April 2013, Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) used the grants from Pacific Fund to open the official helpline service for GBV survivors in Samoa. Runs for 24 hours, this service available nationally to reach the survivors even in remote areas. Within the first five months since its establishment, SVSG receives 1.764 phone calls; 83 calls amongst them are threatening domestic violence related cases, from respondents approximately ranging from 14 to 80 years old. These phone calls could be from various social group; survivors, locals as witness, to the family member or spouse that need to channel their frustration.
Not only providing the help line service, SVSG also provide phone counselling, crisis center, emergency evacuation for mother and children, references to Domestic Violence Unit of Samoan Police, and mediation service. In making this program runs accordingly, SVSG assisted by 25 trained counselors, as well as 400 area representatives that spreads in 166 focal points in Samoa. Digicel and Bluesky, two telecommunication companies in Samoa, holds an important role of ensuring the helpline access reached through smaller areas, with mobile phone provision and excellent phone network. Participation of the variety of actors with their respective resources displayed how the efforts of humanitarian issues can bring massive impact when collectively worked as one.
From the implementation of this program, it can be seen that MTD actors involved are; Nongovernmental/ Professional (Track 2), represented by SVSG; Business (Track 3), represented by Digicel and Bluesky; Private Citizen (Track 4), represented by 400 area representatives; and Activism (Track 6), represented by 25 trained counselors.
“Rehabilitation and training for violence perpetrators” in Solomon Islands
Not only focusing on the survivors of violence, Correctional Services of the Solomon Islands (CSSI) is putting their attention to the convicted offenders. Realizing that these perpetrators are merely human with remorse, as well as witnessing how the detainee then dejected from their past behavior, encourage CSSI to help them reflects. Note to consider as well, that they will eventually come back to the society after their term of punishment terminated.
Partnering with UN Women Pacific and several amounts of volunteer, CSSI facilitates rehabilitation program alongside series of anti-violence training and innovative courses since 2013. Detainees were given sessions of seminar on how differentiating ‘sex’ and ‘gender’, understanding the differences of gender role expectation and obligation leads to social dominance, also how violent acts are equal to criminal act that can never be justified in any circumstances. Thereafter, the program continues with useful courses in increasing their creativity and capabilities in resuming their life after sentence.
Collaboration between the three actors underlining idea of the importance in understanding perpetrators as a potential target group that needs to be embraced. The value of this program leads to probability of breaking the violence cycle if the society aware of gender discrimination issue, especially the offenders. The rehabilitation and training program giving them another chance to reshaping their mindset. Implication of this program, showed that although not entirely managed by government, but the internal level diplomacy by CSSI brought another progress gradually. The interest achieved by the testimony of program participants that successfully identifying differences of which behavior is accepted in the eye of human rights.
From the implementation of this program, it can be seen that MTD actors involved are; Government (Track 1), represented by CSSI; Professional (Track 2), represented by UN Women Pacific; and Activism (Track 6), represented by volunteer of training and courses.
“Setting the stage to break the cycle of violence” in Solomon Islands
Aside from prioritizing the survivors, many NGOs are putting their concern on other target groups that potentially become the future victims or even witnesses. Realizing that children in school ages are having the chance of that, Solomon Islands Family Support Centre (FSC) initiating a play to depict how violence should never be tolerated and we should never be quite about it. In early of 2017, the Advocacy Unit of FSC partnering with eight schools in Honiara organize a drama performance with VAW in family as the theme. Due to the fact that children who witness violent act in home are likely to copy the behavior as an adult in the future, the children need to learn that negative activity as seen in VAW practice should not be embedded as common logic.
Their low level of understanding in regards of family harmonization, making performing arts as a more effective visualization preference in delivering the anti-violence message. FSC also partnering with locals in Honiara to trained them as actors in this drama, for a more a realistic effect. Consists of five persons, these actors are actually participants of GBV awareness training. The training later become important for them in facilitating discussion session for the students after the drama played.
Combination of drama and discussion become the unconventional method in addressing VAW to the youth. As a human being in their early phase of life, children absorbed many things happened in their surroundings. Therefore, the role of older figure inculcating humanity preservation values to them is essential, as acknowledging the complexed concept might not be easily accepted.
From the implementation of this program, it can be seen that MTD actors involved are; Nongovernmental/ Professional (Track 2), represented by FSC; Private Citizen (Track 4), represented by five local actors; and Research, Training, and Education (Track 5), represented by eight schools in Honiara.
“Male Advocacy Training on Ending Violence against Women and Girls” in Tonga
Ever since its establishment in 2014, The Woman and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) has been conducting numerous gender sensitive event to raise the awareness whilst designing program that implemented gradually as well. Supported financially by Pacific Network against Violence Against Women (PNAVAW), WCCC hosting a four days intensive training in August 2017, including numerous men as participant. In separate days during this training, the participants were given distinct theme to be discussed, facilitated by experts. The topics include; (1) VAW and children; (2) justification of culture and religion in violence practice; (3) coercive control; and (4) correlation between men and sexual relationships.
Rev. Dr. Katoanga as the representative of Church Leader of Tonga, simultaneously acted as one of the facilitator on the first day, deliver the subject of VAW and children. On his session, Dr. Katoanga used his role of a religious figure to convey the message of anti-violence, with the analogy of exercising good deeds. In the same context of praying to God, no matter what status a man holds, a human being is entitled to practice their beliefs. This concept applied in eliminating VAW as well; no matter what status a man holds – both financially and socially – a man is never justified to do violent acts, as well as choosing to be silent when they witness or acknowledge GBV happened.
Aside from religious perspective, WCCC also facilitate a personnel of Pacific men inauguration group, Melkie Anton, to lead the training on the next day. He gave a challenge to participants in looking back on how the culture and religion sector in Tonga that generally accepted by common society is actually leads to normalization of gender discrimination. The instance fell to the phenomenon of how Tongan bride usually obliged to prove her virginity before the marriage take place, for religion purpose.
Accompanied by counselling staff of WCCC, the participants were given an awakening insight regarding coercive control on the next session. The discussion focused on abuse, intimidation, control, and isolation. Due to the notion that these kind of acts are prevalent, most of them did not realize the impact of pressure against women. Then on the last day, WCCC Director ‘Ofa Guttenbell-Likiliki explained the anomaly between comprehension of intercourse topics with the recorded data. As the sexual activity topics considered taboo and pure, which restricted to be discussed by married couple only, unwanted pregnancy data – in contrast – shows increased percentage. WCCC used their role within the last couple session to bring new perspectives of what most Tonga population accepted as normal, while on the other side considered a violation of human rights.
From the implementation of this program, it can be seen that MTD actors involved are; Nongovernmental/ Professional (Track 2), represented by WCCC; Activism (Track 6), represented by personnel of Pacific men inauguration group; Religion (Track 7), represented by Church Leader of Tonga; and Funding (Track 8), represented by PWNAVAW.
“My Body! My Rights!” in Tonga
Focused on empowering young girls as well as upholding the commitment in eliminating VAW in Tonga, Talitha Project Incorporation – or Talitha Project for short – implementing their project titled ‘My Body! My Rights!’ that lasted over years. Firstly initiated in the 2013, this project targeting adolescent girls and young women ranging from 10 to 19 years old, with various type of activities conducted. The activities referred to reproduction seminar, self-defense classes, financial literacy training, mentoring, sharing session with parents, along with other sessions confidence building through choreography, team building, poetry, photography, and basic skills of journalism. The purpose is no other than supporting positive changes in social norms through interventions, which include primary prevention approaches.
The project aims in helping young girls recognizing their rights, identifying violence, and determining decision with decent mindset. Similar to character building, the activities involved are shaping them into independent personality with knowledge of gender equality. In example, participants of financial literacy training with the Bank of South Pacific (BSP) are reckoning the importance of savings and financial independence, as they learned budgeting technique. Aside from economic aspect, the participants also encouraged to participate as advocate of change and contributes to the world development.
This message were delivered through ‘Girls Leading Our World (GLOW)’ Camp. The camp invites the girls to see the link between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with their lives. Discussing SDG5 (Gender Equality) and SDG16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), the girls realized how they should take the role in improving participation of women. Whether it is in parliament, playing non mainstream sports, volunteering in society, being vocal in church, or even changing the law regarding land possession. Not only SDGs, the camp education material also enriched by cyber bullying seminar from CEO of Digicel, explaining how to use internet wisely as it is a powerful tool to advocate many issues.
Pioneer of feminist media in Pacific, femLINKpacific, is also taking part in spreading the word about GLOW Camp through discussion session in their radio. Previously, femLINKpacific has been actively engaged with Talitha Project in facilitating open discussions on the topic of gender. Media initiative highlighting gender equality effort indirectly give larger impact of this project, to not only reaching the youth but also the audience of femLINKpacific itself.
From the implementation of this program, it can be seen that MTD actors involved are; Nongovernmental/ Professional (Track 2), represented by Talitha Project; Business (Track 3) represented by BSP and Digicel; and Communications and the Media (Track 9) represented by femLINKpacific.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Gender discrimination in a form of GBV has become the biggest factor in decreasing women participation in many sector of life, specifically social-economic. Based on the elaboration in the previous chapters, this writing showed numerous gender equality problems in Pacific. Notion of the common people that still not gender sensitive; opportunities, obligation, and rights that should be more fair between men and women; early gender education; as well as policy implementation and operational services from civil servants in responding GBV, still marked as ‘homework’ to be managed by governments in the Pacific Islands countries. In doing so, international relations actor – which resembled as nine tracks in MTD – came to assist.
Although not engaged in one program simultaneously, it can be seen that the whole tracks in MTD are actively responding VAW issues in Pacific through several separated projects under Pacific Fund. The existence of UN Women and Australian Government as the prominent actors with their funding, to the personal involvement of civil society in the smaller scale projects, is the evidence that this diplomacy can done by everyone, to reach out everyone in all level. The development of diplomacy brings other actors outside the government bubble. In this context, the non-governmental actors are helping UN Women and Australian Government to achieve their interest, gender initiative and women empowerment.
With different portion adjusting to their own resources and capacity, each and every actor of MTD are addressing the same message; gender equality and peacemaking. UN Women, Australian Government, Samoa Victim Support Group, Digicel, Bluesky, 400 area representatives in Samoa, 25 trained counselors in Samoa, CSSI, volunteer and trainer partner of CSSI, FSC, performing arts volunteer in Honiara, schools in Honiara, WCCC in Tonga, Pacific men inauguration group, Church Leader of Tonga, PNAVAW, Talitha Project, BSP, and femLINKpacific are several actors that allocating their resources to take part in fighting gender equality as a form to preserve world peace.
To conclude, implementation of MTD by Australian Government and UN Women in response of VAW issue in the Pacific come in a form of community outreach programs under Pacific Fund. It is reflected from identification of MTD actors whom participated in the programs under Pacific Fund, that in line with the sole purpose of MTD itself, using respective instruments for peacemaking.
From this paper, we have a better understanding of the GBV situation in Pacific. Although many parties have gradually making progress and impact, research regarding VAW issue should be continued on. This writing showed that raising awareness about VAW, particularly in the Pacific area, is important as they still have the entrenched social norms that devaluating women, and thus allowing GBV in practice.
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