Tackling gender-based violence in the Solomon Islands

Channels of Hope approach

World Vision’s Channels of Hope for Gender partners with church leaders to effect positive change in the community by engaging them in discussion about gender equality and non-violence through faith messaging. The program has been implemented in over 59 countries.

The program also works with existing support services by providing links for survivors of violence, building capacity to address issues of substance abuse and conflict, and supports church and community leaders to refer survivors to services.

With over 90 percent of Solomon Islanders identifying as Christian, faith-based responses have been identified as particularly well-placed to tackle pervasive negative gender attitudes. In this context, faith leaders are among the most influential members of the community. As such they can have a significant effect on social attitudes.

World Vision's Channels of Hope program brings together and engages faith leaders around biblical texts that affirm the equality of women and men, the need to treat each other with respect, and to act to eliminate gender violence. The program then equips them and members of their congregations to be activists for gender equality and against gender violence. In so doing, these faith leaders are becoming powerful agents of positive change in their communities.

With support from the Australian Government’s Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australia's High Commission to the Solomon Islands , World Vision has been working with communities in urban Honiara and rural Temotu and Weather Coast to implement the Channels of Hope for Gender methodology and challenge those beliefs and behaviours leading to gender-based and sexual violence.

Impact of the project

Evaluations of the project in Honiara, Temotu and the Weather Coast found compelling evidence of positive change attributed to the Channels of Hope for Gender Community Vision for Change projects in key areas.

Findings indicated that while progress is gradual, men and women alike are beginning to shift their perceptions of women’s rights and roles.

For example:

• The percentage of men who believe that a woman is able to accuse her husband of rape rose from 70 percent to 83 percent.
• The percentage of women who claim that women should not make decisions fell from 34 percent to 4 percent.
• The percentage of men who believe the Bible says that "man is boss" dropped from 83 percent to 66 percent.

Dani, a Channels of Hope workshop attendee from Burns Creek in Honiara, thanked World Vision for giving him the opportunity to learn important life lessons. "I learned about the qualities of men towards women and that men and women are made equal,” Dani said. "I didn't respect other people’s views, even my family's view. But after going through the Channels of Hope training, I am now a changed person."

Women in focus group discussions reported that Channels of Hope for Gender had started a critically important conversation that they felt was benefiting women and children. Women became more outspoken and critical about the lack of response from different service providers and talked more openly about community perceptions and women’s experiences of gender equality and domestic violence. Men were also found to be generally more willing to discuss gender-based violence and gender relations within their communities.

There was an improvement in awareness and linkages to service providers for survivors of gender-based violence, and key community focal points "were clearly supporting survivors to reach such services".

Maddy, who is an influential community member and a well-respected early childhood education teacher, came across a domestic violence case in her community. Maddy immediately reassured the victim and referred her to the Family Support Centre, to receive counselling.

She recalls, "Before I began participating in World Vision’s Community Vision 4 Change project as a focal point, I felt that I did not have the appropriate knowledge to refer survivors of gender-based violence to support services such as health clinics, police or the Family Support Centre. Now I understand the different referral processes and what information about the incidents I need to report on. I feel much more confident to support people who experience gender-based violence to seek support from these services. I also have a much better understanding of my role as a focal point linking survivors of gender-based violence to appropriate support services."

Overwhelmingly, church elders, pastors, community members and other participants in both project sites expressed long-term commitment to the reduction of violence in the communities, and to the continuation of the Community Vision for Change project. By changing community attitudes and behaviours, women and children are better protected against violence, and families are safer, happier and healthier.