KUCHING, Oct 26: With poverty among single mothers, reports of domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse on the rise, Sarawak Women for Women Society (SWWS) is holding a series of training to empower women in the state.
The training also aims to skill women, relevant NGOs and members from State Women and Family Department to assist women in the state.
The first stage of training, titled ‘Tackling gender inequality, discrimination and abuse’ will help participants know more on women’s rights locally and internationally and the importance of empowering women to overcome different forms of abuse. It will be held on Nov 11 at Grand Dormani Rajah Court Hotel, Jalan Tun Razak here.
For those who wish to volunteer to directly help women, the second stage of training will introduce participants to the basic skills required of a para-counsellor/ befriender on Nov 18 and 19. A third stage training session will also be held to discuss specific types of problems and develop skills to enable those encountering such difficulties to address the situation.
“Women are still disadvantaged despite advances made. If you doubt this, look at the cases of poverty amongst single mothers; reports of domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse that fill the newspapers as well as the plight of teenagers who are pregnant,” Margaret Bedus, President of Sarawak Women for Women Society said in a press statement today.
Effective ways of helping women therefore need to address such disadvantages at the same time as giving women knowledge and support so they are empowered. For this reason SWWS provides both a direct service to women — mainly through its crisis phone line — and speaks out on problems. However more members are needed to do this work.
To register for the training, call or SMS your name and particulars to 013-804 4285 (office hours) or email sarswws@gmail.com. More details on SWWS and the operating hours of the Crisis Phone Line (082–422660) may be found on the SWWS website at http://sarswws.org.
