Facilitators of the Offenders of Violence program under Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) have spent the past two days reviewing the current Offenders Program Manual to ensure that its content remains relevant in achieving restorative justice for the offenders of gender-based violence referred from the Family Court. Included in the review team were Facilitators from the Offenders Program in Savaii, made up of SVSG village representatives.
The two-day residential workshop was opened by the British High Commissioner to Samoa, Mr. David Ward, who delivered the keynote address. Mr. Ward emphasized the importance of tackling gender-based violence in our societies and expressed his pleasure at working with SVSG. He praised the invaluable work of the organization and its delivery of essential public services to the victims of domestic and gender-based violence.
During the workshop, the facilitators were joined by Judge Talasa Atoa-Saaga, who took time out from her Family Court responsibilities to encourage the facilitators of the Offenders Program. Judge Atoa-Saaga spoke about the importance of the Word of God in guiding us and how culture is a fundamental part of our upbringing. She expressed her gratitude to the facilitators and thanked them on behalf of the Court for their dedicated work.
According to the SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang, the capacity building program was made possible with funding support from the Office of the British High Commission in Samoa. The SVSG and its facilitators are committed to achieving restorative justice for offenders of gender-based violence and remain grateful for the ongoing support of the British High Commission.
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