Bernadette Ove, a retired educator of 42 years and currently representing Lasalian Women of Hope said education is a powerful tool that can change mindsets.
While being a representative of the organization she belongs to, Mrs Ove says that she also stands for all women and girls. She said the network of women educators are scattered all over Papua New Guinea. A big number of them are found in the two dioceses of Southern Highlands Province and Enga Province.
In the Council of Churches a joint National Churches Strategic Plan was launched in 2018 to address Sorcery Accused Related Violence (SARV). It was described as a landmark development at the time it was launched in Wabag, Enga Province.
“We all know that churches play major significant roles in the lives of the people, in the communities. I have seen in all cases of SARV that have erupted over a period of time to the recent ones. Churches again have been seen to be the first responders to come to the aid of the victims,” she said.
Ove said Churches exert great influence in the communities, and anyone would assume that if there is to be an ending to SARV, it would be the efforts of the churches that will see to this. But we all know that this is not so.”
She said SARV has not been stamped out, despite the work that churches have done and are doing, and the resources that have been pumped into SARV via NGOs, development partners, government agencies and departments, to sensitize communities; notably the Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG), Community Development and Religion, and the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission.
“Sadly, SARV is prevalent in the Highlands region with almost all victims being women and girls. As a female retiree educator of 42 years of teaching experience, it greatly saddens me because I believe passionately in transformation of lives through education.
“What we need is a new mindset in all Papua New Guineans to end violence of all sorts and this must be done with education of young people in our school system,” Mrs Ove said.
Ove laid out her propositions as a way forward in eradicating SARV:
- It is an appropriate time to involve this the Department of Education if mindsets of anybody is to change. Production of materials of GBV and SARV to be made available to all schools as additional resources to compliment what the department has already produced, through this new subject called ‘Citizenship Christian Values Education (CCVE).
- Local members of parliament to lead change with their community leaders, pastors, priests, and councils. The local MPs must be there to walk the talk and walk among their communities if SARV is to be eradicated.
- To identify change champions or influential advocates and put them through training and equip them with resources, tools and support in the community to drive mindsets and behavioral change.
- Since we all know that rugby league is a favorite sport, especially in the Highlands region where SARV is rife, use that sport as a platform to raise awareness against SARV.
Mrs Ove believes that through education and church involvement, there are people that can be engaged to help in contributing new ideas and develop resource materials to compliment CCVE.
She added, “It is quite difficult to change the mindset of grown-ups, but it is possible with younger children. With good education provided on these issues, I think we’ll see big change when it comes to stamping out issues to do with violence and SARV.”