Australia Funds Establishment of Tuvalu Women’s Crisis Centre

11 December 2009

The Australian Government will provide over A$68,000, through its Human Rights Small Grants Scheme, to establish a new Women’s Crisis Centre in Tuvalu.

This funding was announced late yesterday by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Stephen Smith, to coincide with international Humans Rights Day.

The Centre, to be established in Funafuti in collaboration with the Tuvalu National Council of Women, will provide dedicated counselling services to victims of gender-based violence in Tuvalu. These include coping with emotional and physical abuse from partners and in-laws, sexual assault, women’s legal rights and divorce. Two counsellors will be employed. They will receive professional training from the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, which is a leader in providing these services in Fiji and supporting other organisations in the Pacific.

Through the establishment of the new Women’s Crisis Centre, the Tuvalu National Council of Women will also conduct awareness workshops and produce information booklets - targeting community and church leaders, police and high school students – to change behaviours and attitudes to violence against women.

Local radio will be used to generate community discussions on violence against women. The Centre will also provide mobile counselling services for the outer islands.

In October 2009, the Australian Government committed A$5.3 million to the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, as part of its continued support to efforts to eliminate violence against women in Fiji and the Pacific. The announcement of funding for a new Tuvalu Women’s Crisis Centre reflects Australia’s desire to allow women to exercise their rights and achieve social and economic equality.

Established in 1997, the Australian Human Rights Small Grants Scheme provides funding for projects in developing countries which promote and protect human rights in direct and tangible ways. This year the Australian government will provide almost A$3 million for 36 projects in various countries around the world.

**ENDS**