On 9 December 2021 the Australian National University (ANU) and the Pacific Community (SPC) co-convened a ‘Symposium on family protection orders in the Pacific region’.

Family protection orders are a legal tool used to protect survivors of domestic violence from further harm.

The symposium was an important opportunity to take stock of the family protection order legislation that is currently in place in different Pacific Island countries. The presentations highlighted many shared challenges across the Pacific, such as those relating to enforcing orders, societal attitudes towards domestic violence and the need for better data.

It was also an opportunity to showcase some of the unique projects taking place which facilitate access to justice for domestic violence survivors in rural and remote areas.

The sessions were recorded and are available on the ANU Department of Pacific Affairs YouTube Channel.