Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV) is a very disturbing and serious human rights issue that is continuing to destroy and affect many families and communities in Papua New Guinea, especially in the Highlands region. In almost all reported cases, women and girls are the most impacted group together with children and the vulnerable mostly implicated or feeling the blunt of the violence and accusations.
Many Non-Government Organisations (NGO’s), Community Based Organizations (CBO’s), Civil Societies, churches and individual male and female advocates and development partners have been doing their very best in addressing this sensitive issue locally in communities through different approaches.
The Melanesian Institute (MI) has been training both male and female advocates and building capacities of community based organisations and agencies such as diocesan caritas coordinators from Kundiawa, Mendi, Goroka & Madang, family life coordinators, village youths and leaders, village court magistrates, and primary school teachers, pastors and priests. The training is aimed to equip this group of people to go out as Trainers of Trainers and to train other group of trainers in their communities to accelerate and advocate against sorcery accusation related violence. This program has been effective in four highlands provinces and Madang province.
Today, a new light has emerged to push the advocacy and awareness work on SARV to new heights and effect tangible change in communities and in the minds of the future generation of PNG through the piloting of the Peter & Grace Make a Difference School book and the Community Curriculum. This program is a collaborative effort of the Divine Word University, UNFPA and the Melanesian Institute with Mr Anton Lutz and John Galmai as consultants of the program.
The Peter and Grace Make a Difference School Book will be used in primary schools in seven selected church agency schools in Eastern Highlands Province, Simbu, Jiwaka and Enga. The implementation of this important program is scheduled for term two of the academic year. This program is fully supported by the National Department of Education Curriculum Development Division.
In the communities in EHP, Simbu, Jiwaka, Enga, SHP and Hela the team will roll out the community curriculum starting on April and going forward. The different churches standing in solidarity to address amicably the issue of SARV through these programs are the SDA Eastern Highlands – Simbu Mission, Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG, Gutnius Lutheran Church, Foursquare Church, Nazarene Church, Evangelical Brotherhood Church and the Catholic Church.
The provincial coordinators of these two distinct and important program were being trained on two separate occasions at the Melanesian Institute in Goroka and their one-week meeting now is preparing them for planning of the implementation process and signing of MoU with the Melanesian Institute.
Lead consultant of the UNFPA Mr Anton Lutz explains that the MoU is about setting up the working relationship with the Melanesian Institute and churches, and partners.
A vocal and strong male advocate Mr Max Cussya Mol of Maunkui in Simbu province expressed his gratitude of the support and the importance of the community curriculum. “The Community curriculum has integrated well Bible scriptures, PNG laws and Constitution and our cultural values and makes it simpler for us and the communities to understand,” said Mr Max.
Ps Joseph Kaukz of the Foursquare church in Daulo district in Eastern Highlands province expressed his satisfaction of involving the different churches in the program. “I am excited to implement this curriculum of Peter and Grace Make a Difference School Book in our agency schools in the Daulo District. It will help teach and train the minds of our younger generation in the lower primary and up,” stressed Ps Kaukz.