More than 300 women have visited the Nazareth Center for Rehabilitation seeking counselling services and help with issues they are faced with in the community.
According to Advocacy Coordinator and Laywoman Agnes Titus, the center has been given hope by by way of giving advice to women who need it and assisting the whole population of Bougainville including men.
Mrs. Titus said it was disheartening to learn that most of the women clients were sexually abused in the villages as well as in their families.
The Catholic ministry of sisters, Nazareth Congregation has been working in collaboration with International Women’s Agency in carrying out projects in the Bougainville region especially in helping out the unfortunate who face issues in the community.
This year they had developed a plan to extend their work in partnering with Australian Donors in an agreement known as the Australia Bougainville Partnership.
Mrs. Titus stated, the Nazareth center is operating in accordance to national and international standards with support from their Australian counterparts providing help not only at the center but processing and referring serious cases to the hospitals and the court to have perpetrators prosecuted.
“We provide accommodation to our clients and at the same time make sure they eat three meals in a day when they are with us”.
“There are staff that assist children with juvenile care and services ensuring they receive counselling from time to time”.
The center is fortunate to have a vehicle that helps the staff and clients in transporting them to the different safe houses in the northern part of Bougainville.
The staff are calling for avenues to address the issues, believing that it is not the PNG behavior.
Mrs. Titus said woman and girls have a lot to contribute in terms of nation building and deserve the respect and care from the men and boys within the communities,