KOSRAE, the Federated States of Micronesia – The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) with the support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Pacific, launched the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for clinical management of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases including sexual violence, for each of the States of Kosrae and Yap.

“Violence against women and children is a major concern in a number of countries all over the world, and unfortunately FSM is no exception,” highlighted Dr. Tholman Alik, Director of Kosrae State Department of Health Services.  FSM government’s first Family Health and Safety Survey completed in 2014 with support from UNFPA and Australia, revealed that one out of three (33%) women and girls aged between 15 and 64 reported experiencing sexual/physical violence in the lifetime committed by her intimate partner, and 24% in the last 12 months. 

Each of the survivors of GBV needs to be able to access well-coordinated, multi-sectoral response services and referrals among a wide range of institutions from life-saving health care, to mental health and psycho-social support, as well as the police, prosecutors and the court of law.  UNFPA Pacific, with funding support from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, has provided financial and technical support to the federal and state governments of FSM to increase the quality and timeliness of the health sector’s response to GBV survivors including for those living in rural and remote areas, more specifically, through developing the SOPs for ‘clinical management’ of GBV including rape, sexual  violence, domestic violence, inmate partner violence and family violence, strengthening referral pathways, as an integral part of the survivor-centered, multi-sectoral response in the country.

The SOPs for clinical management of GBV for both Kosrae and Yap States were formally launched at  the National Women Conference held in the Kosrae State during the global 16 Days of Activism against GBV (25 November - 10 December).  The SOPs will provide the frontline healthcare workers with the required knowledge and skills with which to manage and support cases of gender-based violence including sexual violence.  The guidelines also ensure that quality life-saving healthcare services are provided to the GBV survivors across different states of FSM in a uniform manner.

 “As a health service provider, we pledge to continue to build on and support the great work done for all survivors, and for all who are at risk of GBV and sexual violence in the country,” said the Director of the Yap State Department of Health Services, Ms. Maria Marfel, in a statement read by Ms. Linda Teteth, the Yap State Health Services’ Human Trafficking Coordinator.

“As we made an important step today by formally launching the SOP, I thank all the staff and UNFPA for their time and efforts to finalise this SOP and for training all key health-care providers for providing confidential, survivor-centered care to keep women safe,” said Kosrae State Health Services Director Dr. Alik. “The global call to action of the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign to End Violence Against Women, is a powerful reminder that our work to end GBV is an unfinished business. Let’s act now.”

Ms. Evelyn Adolph, UNFPA Pacific Assistant Representative and Head of Micronesia Multi-Country Office in Pohnpei, said “This is a special day for the FSM Department of Health and Social Affairs and for the States of Kosrae and Yap,” congratulating the national and state governments on the formal launch of the SOPs.  “UNFPA is committed to continuing its technical assistance to FSM towards Zero GBV.  We will support raising awareness about the SOPs and, importantly, the full utilization of the SOPs for quality implementation of health sector response to the survivors of sexual and gender based violence in all States, leaving no one behind,” added Ms. Adolph.