CAMPAIGN: Listen to her Cries

Next Thursday (25th November) marks a special day for my extended family. It marks the graduation and end of academic year for the Davuilevu Theological College with 11 ministers expected to graduate with a Diploma in Theology. It is my mother's 72nd birthday. And equally as important (as my mother, wife and sisters, as well as the Davuilevu College Community would agree) it marks the 20th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

From 25th November to 10th December (International Human Rights Day) the world's focus is directed on Gender Violence that occurs on many levels in all communities and societies.

This year highlights the issue of militarism and violence against women.

According to everyhumanhasrights.org, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991.

Participants chose the dates November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a human rights violation.

In the second term of this year I led the final year Diploma in Theology students on a journey through the issues of gender balance in the Church and society, the Church's response to violence against women, and a Christian response to HIV and AIDS.

I remember the shock on their faces when I shared with them statistics from the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre on the domestic violence, rape, sexual harassment, child abuse and other cases they have dealt with between 1984 and 2010, a total of 19,237.

In the two decades of the 16 Days of Activism (1991 to 2010) the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre dealt with 18306 cases!

The 16 Days Campaign also highlights other significant dates including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.

This 16-day period has been commemorated by individuals and groups around the world who use a human rights framework to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by: raising awareness; linking local and global work; providing a forum for dialogue and strategy-sharing; pressuring governments to implement commitments made in national and international legal instruments; and demonstrating the solidarity of activists around the world.

The 2010 international theme is "Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence Against Women."

Militarism is an ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests.

It is a psychology that often has grave consequences for the true safety and security of women and of society as a whole.

Wars, internal conflicts, and violent repressions of political and social justice movements have a particular and often disproportionate impact on women.

Even places that are experiencing peace are not exempt from militarism: they send troops, manufacture and distribute arms, and invest in the militaries of foreign governments rather than supporting development efforts.

Rather than focusing on a militaristic definition of security, it must be recognized that genuine human security can only be achieved by realizing human rights.

To achieve genuine security for all we need to confront other threats to human security, such as poverty, food insecurity, natural disasters and environmental degradation, the spread of diseases, domestic abuse, the massive displacement of people, and other violations committed by both state and non-state actors.

In support of the 16 Days Campaign, organizations around the world will be planning campaign activities between November 25 and December 10.

In a demonstration of global solidarity on November 29th, participants will hold peace vigils and marches to mark a Global Day of Action Against Militarism and Violence Against Women.

Many organisations will be organising programmes and activities to mark the 16 Days in Fiji and across Oceania.

Yet this is not just something for women, or Non-Governmental or Civil Society Organisations to get involved in.

The Pacific Conference of Churches was mandated by the churches of Oceania at its 2007 General Assembly to "promote the dignity of the human being in the face of violence and the evil of racism, and calls for all the live in peace; and that the rights of women, youth and children should be made a top priority given the increasing social fluidity and highly political volatility of most of our Pacific countries". The above sends out the signal that the church is to be a place of nurturing, caring, healing and its mission is to seek the lost for Christ.

There is no justification for violence against women and children in such a sacred calling and space.

For this year, the PCC, WEAVERS and God's Pacific People programme of the Pacific Theological College feel that given the challenges facing our region, that we give ourselves the theme "Gender, Peace & Security".

Peace, as Christ gives is not the absence of war and turmoil but, rather, the evidence that the Holy Spirit indwells in the midst of turmoil, unrest, war and calamities.

Security is more than just traditional security but, it is about the security and well-being of the individual through food, energy, mental and human security.

PCC has requested member churches that during this 16-day campaign, a member church is responsible for hosting a prayer vigil, bible study or some sort of symbolic celebration in their church.

During these 16 days we will hear and read of violence against women and children - the vulnerable in our communities.

The challenge for us is not to just switch off or turn the page, but to listen and read and feel the pain of those who have the courage to share their stories of suffering, stand with those who suffer in silence, hear the cries of anguish, the cries for justice and peace.

If we have the strength to face this challenge, we will have the strength to be the voice of the oppressed, we can be the catalysts of change.

We can stand firm so that others can lean on us and find the strength to stand in dignity.

May your week be blessed with light, love and peace - knowing that you are called to share it with others who are in the dark, are oppressed and suffer from violence because of their gender.