Initiative to help Commonwealth nations address domestic violence

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has announced the Peace in the home: Ending domestic violence together initiative to support member states to address domestic violence.

The initiative includes a package of special measures and toolkits to help governments build capacity for a multi-sectoral approach to ending domestic violence.

According to the Commonwealth press release, the 12 month initiative will include:

• "A series of toolkits to assist governments to adopt a multi-agency approach to tackling domestic violence, ensuring that schools, doctors and hospitals can work effectively with social services, government agencies, law enforcement and the judiciary on the issue.
• The release of a seminal, evidenced-based research, conducted in collaboration with Public Health Wales, into a multisector approach to preventing interpersonal, collective and extreme violence, which will be presented to Commonwealth health ministers at their summit in May.
• Helping countries to highlight and share successful practices and initiatives. A mentorship programme for women, in collaboration with Rotary in Canada and Rotary in the Caribbean, the Commonwealth Youth Council and the Commonwealth Youth Gender Equality Network.
• An initiative aimed at promoting women’s full and effective political participation and addressing violence against women in politics and elections."

The initiative follows on from the11th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministerial Meeting in Samoa last year.

Related media

Commonwealth unveils plan to end domestic violence, Interview with Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, Radio NZ, 08.03.2017

Cost of domestic violence to be surveyed in Pacific, Radio NZ, 08.03.2017