The Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the National Gender-Based Violence Secretariat (NGBVS), an office under the Department of Community Development and Religion (DCDR), to build a Meri Seif Haus in Yangoru-Saussia District, East Sepik Province. The Yangoru-Saussia DDA will provide a parcel of land within Yangoru Station for the Meri Seif Haus facility and will also be responsible for the sustainability and the upkeep of the facility. The NGBVS/ DCDR will partner with Yangoru-Saussia DDA to build the Meri Seif Haus and will work with the DDA to find a suitable partner to manage the facility. NGBVS/ DCDR will also collaborate with the DDA to carry our GBV programs and activities within the district. The Minister for International Trade and Investment & Yangoru-Saussia Richard Maru said: “This is a well overdue initiative, and we want to thank the NGBVS/ DCDR for partnering us to make it happen. This project will support us well in our efforts to address and combat the escalating law-and-order issues in the district. Domestic violence is a daily occurrence within the district and throughout the country on a daily basis. This places many women in a very vulnerable and helpless position where such a facility will provide a safe place to seek refuge and shelter whilst the other avenues to legal redress and justice is sought.” Mr. Maru said the Meri Seif Haus, including the Counsellor’s house will be built right next to the police station. “We want to send a message to all men involved in domestic violence that if your wife reports to the Seif Haus you will have to answer to the police as to why she escaped, and you will be charged accordingly. You will not escape. We want to minimize and actually stop domestic violence. Right now, they (men) are doing it (involving in domestic violence) because they get away with it. Our mothers and girls have suffered enough, and we have had enough of domestic violence in the district. The Meri Seif Haus initiative is part of the efforts by the DDA to get rid of crimes and criminals in Yangoru-Saussia District under the operation "Ston Brukim Ston" that will be launched this month,” added Mr. Maru. He said that the new Police Headquarter in Yangoru will also have a sexual crime unit that will be responsible for sexual crime and domestic violence with a female officer to be in charge of this section, and a separate cell block for women. Also present at the signing of the MOA was the Minister for Community Development and Religion, Jason Peter. Mr. Peter said: “This is a very significant occasion for the country as we are entering into the first partnership to build a Meri Seif Haus as per the Government’s Medium Term Development Plan IV to build 80 Meri Seif Houses by 2027 to minimize and end violence against women in the country.” “Meri Saif Houses around the country are currently being established and run by Non-Government Organizations and Civil Society Organizations- the Government has never established one. We are now stepping into a new arena of building Meri Seif Houses in the country as a Government and Yangoru-Saussia District is the first district that we are partnering,” he added.