A/HRC/44/15 delegation noted for example that the Employment and Industrial Relation Code 2015 had helped to create more women-friendly workplaces and to reduce gender discrimination and sexual harassment. The Strengthening Peaceful Villages Kiribati Project was progressing into its second phase in mobilizing women, girls, men and boys to promote respectful relationships and gender equality at village levels. Discrimination against women over land ownership and citizenship for their foreign spouses had been addressed in a number of constitutional amendments, which had failed in the past but had planted the seeds for ongoing debates that could hopefully lead to the eventual passing of such constitutional amendments. An annual celebration of the White Ribbon Day, coinciding with International Women’s Day and preceded by 16 days of public awareness-building and campaigns, including through radio and roadshows, were all aimed at cultivating the right mindset to reduce discrimination against women. Finally, the establishment of the “Kiribati Men Behavioural Change” group created a space that allowed men in the group to speak with other men with the aim of changing the mindset of men to be less violent and to use nonviolent means to express themselves. 19. The delegation explained that while the rate of participation of women at the administrative and professional level in Government was higher than for men, the participation of women in political leadership had been very low. That had much to do with the cultural mindsets of women, who were themselves generally reluctant to enter the political arena or even vote for other women who were standing for election to the national parliament or a local council. The number of women running in parliamentary elections had always been very low but there had been a gradual shift in that mindset, as reflected by the increasing number of women contesting parliamentary and local council elections over the years. To help boost the courage of women to enter the political arena, the Women’s Development Division had convened a national workshop in October 2019 and had organized a one-day mock parliament session, involving women delegates from every island and giving them a feel of what it means to be a member of parliament. Plans called for the session to become an annual event. 20. As far as gender-based violence was concerned, the delegation referred to reports that Kiribati was among the few countries where gender-based violence was excessively high, although many people in Kiribati believed that the survey from which that information had been obtained had not been properly conducted and had therefore failed to correctly reflect the reality on the ground. Regardless of whether that alarming rate of gender violence was accurate or not, the Government was nevertheless committed to doing everything in its power to introduce reforms aimed at reducing and eliminating genderbased violence. 21. The delegation reported that the implementation plan of the Family Peace Act had been developed in 2017. As part of the plan, community outreach to the outer islands, including South Tarawa, had been carried out to clarify that the law had not been made to punish men but rather to promote family peace and well-being, thus removing the negative attitudes of men towards such a law. 22. One new development noted by the delegation was the Kiribati Women and Children Support Centre. The Centre had been established in 2017 with the core task of protecting victims of domestic violence, in accordance with the provisions of the Family Peace Act through provision of counselling services and legal guidance and assistance for women, girls and children; court services for survivors; and support to the police and medical services where needed. Although based in the urban area, the Centre was also available for women and girls from the outer islands, whose needs were met by the Assistant Social Welfare Officers attached to the island councils. In addition, the client support fund managed by the Centre was available for emergency needs of survivors, including paying for the immediate needs of survivors, such as food and clothing, or for boat or air fares for an evacuation, to get a survivor away from the perpetrator (often husbands). 5