06th May, 2016 Youth leaders and participants from the civil society took part in a two-day workshop about healthy and respectful relationship at Tungi Colonade Nuku’alofa.
Tupou Lanumata from the Women and Children Crisis Centre said the workshop was very important because the centre has noticed the increasing numbers of domestic violence cases.
“According to the statistics that we have, there is not much difference between the numbers of criminal cases and domestic violence cases,” she said.
“So we have decided to bring in youth leaders from churches and youth groups to discuss the signs of an unhealthy relationship and how to solve it. Not only that but when they decides to get married they will apply what they have learned here and create a home that is free from violence.”
Ms Lanumata said the centre directed the workshop towards youth leaders so that they can go out to their communities and share with youth members what they have learned.
“The reason why we chose youth leaders is because they can make an impact in their communities by sharing what they have learned here to their colleagues so that they know the right person to pick when it comes to marriage.”
She said the centre has conducted two workshops in the past about the same issue and the participants developed 10 tips for a healthy and respectful relationship.
“When they came up with the 10 tips, they also suggested the red flags. The red flags are the opposite of the 10 tips and they will use the 10 tips and the red flags to assess their boyfriends and girlfriends. If there are red flags they will have to think twice about their choice or do something to solve the misunderstandings.”
Lanumata said participants were told to go out to their communities and seek for the best practices.
“Best practices refer to the happy relationship a husband and wife has developed free from violence. The experiment was for the youth to experience the challenges that these parents have overcome in order to create a happy home that is free from violence.”
Lanumata stated that participants also discussed the launching of the 10 tips and red flags including video clips and radio spots in November this year.
The workshop was hosted by the Women and Children Crisis Centre Nuku’alofa and it was funded by UN Women.
ENDS
Issued from the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications