SINGAPORE, April 8 (Bernama) — Singapore is conducting a training course beginning Tuesday to Thursday for 20 frontline social workers from Asean who work with women and children victims of violence.
The social workers are from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The course is hosted by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and organised by the Social Service Institute (SSI).
It is an initiative of the Singaporean government's representatives on the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), Dr. Aline Wong (women's rights) and Koh Choon Hui (children's rights).
Addressing participants at the welcome ceremony on Tuesday, Low Yen Ling, parliamentary secretary, Ministry of Social and Family Development said:
"In October 2013, Asean Leaders adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the Elimination of Violence against Children.
"Singapore hopes the course will arm participants with new skills and training to help them push back the wall of violence and make a positive difference to those they serve in their home countries," Low said.
The three-day course will see participants discuss the causes of family violence and abuse, identify the impact on perpetrators, victims and witnesses, and learn different models of intervention to ensure safe practices for families and social workers.
Participants also visited PAVE (Promoting Alternatives to Violence) — the first family violence specialist centre in Singapore.
ACWC was inaugurated on April 7, 2010 in Hanoi, Vietnam on the occasion of the 16th ASEAN Summit.