Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

) ( ): I thank Senator Hume for her question and, no, it will not be a short answer, Senator Hanson-Young. Perhaps if you listen you might learn something, especially, Senator Hanson-Young, I would say to you, in the lead-up to White Ribbon Day and the United Nations international day for the elimination of men's violence against women, both of which are on 25 November.

The Turnbull government is committed to eliminating violence against women—indeed, eliminating all forms of domestic and family violence—and to promoting gender equality not just in our own country but in our region as well. Our Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program is Australia's flagship program. It is a 10-year $320 million initiative which supports improved political, economic and social opportunities for Pacific women.

Pacific Women has provided a variety of support services and programs and these include, and I just mention some by example, ensuring the participation of over 1,700 women in training and accessing financial services, running small businesses and improving financial literacy, seeing over 4,700 women become part of market vendor associations and thereby influencing market governance structures in their countries and ensuring nearly 13,000 women have access to a variety of crisis support services, including counselling, health and legal support.

In addition to Pacific Women, Australia supports a number of other gender equality initiatives in the Pacific, in law and justice, in health, in education and in economic growth. For example, providing financial literacy training has been provided to over 13,000 women, in PNG, in 2014-15 through microfinancing projects. (Time expired)