On Thursday 25 November, women leaders of the Southern Highlands Province (SHP) gathered with other women at the Imbonggu Development Centre.
For months, dedicated advocate for women’s rights, Janet Nisa, traveled from one end of the province to the other, to garner support and mobilize women to attend the presentation of the SHP Women’s Advocacy Action Plan to the SHP Provincial Government on the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW).
The program was supported by businesswoman and founder of Mama Halipim Mama Foundation (MHM) Ruth Undi, and UN Women.
Ruth Undi said, “I believe that the SHP Women Advocacy Plan, once implemented, will address all forms of violence against women.”
“In Southern Highlands many affected women seek refuge in Mama groups within the respective churches they belonged to,” she said.
Undi said, “Considering today's meeting and to remember women who have faced all forms of violence against them, I embrace the Violence Against Women international day and support UN Women initiatives and have contributed by providing the training facilities at my newly built Training center in Ialibu Waluwili Village.”
Undi observed the need for a center for women and thus built the MHM training center.
“I wanted women to come rest, sleep and share issues, ideas and be trained holistically to learn to live in prosperity and towards better life.
“I have invested millions of my hard earned money to establish women empowerment organizations such as Mama Halipim Mama Foundation and Pacifika Women Network to address and contribute towards finding solutions for women to come together in a group to discuss (and) identify issues affecting them so as a group we are able to become a force to be reckoned with,” said Undi.
Undi said the theme of the program, ‘ONE Voice, Purpose, and Action’ was demonstrated after seeing women from the five SHP districts coming together with support from UN Women, the SHP Administration and village ward councilors and president.
“We are all here to support our women in providing the Advocacy Plan to the responsible implementers who I am ready to partner with to embrace change in Southern Highlands Province.”
The MHM founder thanked all the women leaders from all the districts for their time and effort to formulate this Plan. The plan, significant in itself, is the first women action plan to be presented to a provincial government.
Undi said the onus now rests on the women to collaborate in enforcing the first Advocacy Plan under the UN Women Make Change program together with the SHP administration.