COUNTRY CASE STUDY RESEARCH

COMPILATION
SOSC111

Submitted by:
Carandang, Katherine
Castillo, Camille
Daraman, Karl Ivan
Dela Cruz, Joshua S.
Delos Reyes, Clarice Hazel B.
Dimaandal, Jennilyn
San Pedro, Rench M.
BSRT 2-3
 Country Case Study Research Compilation
Kiribati
I. Society Social Organization

1. Marriage
Historically, I-Kiribati practiced polygamy but, as colonization by the British, and
modernization of their culture takes places, Kiribatis marriage system are now monogamous.
Although arranged marriages remain common, especially in rural areas. These called "Love
matches" and elopements have tolerated and made common by most I-Kiribati families. Virginity
tests of the bride remain valued despite criticism by churches. Marriage is almost universal, and
divorce is unpopular and uncommon.
While various cultures around the world prize virgin brides, few are more fervent than
the I-Kiribati. Virginity tests are no longer universal in Kiribati, but most I-Kiribati bride still
experienced these practice. Virginity of the bride is honored, if she could prove it throughout her
island and beyond. However, failing to prove the womans virginity would result to instant
divorce and disowning by the family.
During an I-Kiribati wedding night, which is often an extremely anxious evening for both
families, newlyweds consummate their marriage while lying on a large piece of white cloth.
Moments later, female members of the grooms family will gather up the material for
examination. If bloodstains are present, and there is no reason for suspicion, the grooms family
will throw the cloth amongst members of the brides family. In addition, the brides family will
be ecstatic.
To inform every one of their daughters virtue, the brides parents will tour their island
from one end to the other. In what is known as the red cloth ceremony, they will take the
bloodstained material to distant family members, sometimes on other islands.
Thrilled to find their young relative was well kept, members of her extended family will
wrap themselves and their possessions in the cloth. The whole community will delight in the
notion that young, I-Kiribati women are still virgins when they marry.
However, the depth of the despair experienced when a young bride returns an unstained
cloth may match the height of this joy. If there is reason to suspect she was not a virgin, an
investigation unfolds. A senior, female member of the grooms family will lead the process.
Garments would be inspected. The bride be examined internally. If the verdict concludes that she
was not a virgin, her family may conduct an investigation of their own. If, in the end, everyone
agrees that she was not pure, the consequences will depend on the intensity of the humiliation
felt by her husband, her husbands family and her family.
 It is common for a groom to send back his bride automatically divorcing her. If he
continues with the marriage, he may punish his wife (sometimes violently) for a long time to
come. The girls family may disown her.

2. Education
Education in Kiribati is free and compulsory for ages 6 to 13. Primary education
includes the first seven years: classes one to six. The 110 government-funded primary schools
throughout the islands enroll 17,594 students (approximately 49 percent female) and employ 727
teachers (approximately 62 percent female). In 1997, some 75 students were retained in a
primary grade because of inadequate academic performance. Educational attainment in Kiribati
is largely restricted to the primary level; this is principally the result of a lack of availability and
cost of secondary and tertiary schools on the islands.
Secondary education (classes 7 through 11) placements are competitive and based on
scores from a National Entrance Examination. Less than 20 percent of primary school children
receive any secondary education. In 1997, there were 1,901 students enrolled in secondary
schools. Students who wish to continue to receive education beyond the primary level, but are
unable to find placement in a secondary school, may continue for another three years in Classes
7-9.
The curriculum places emphasis on basic disciplines as well as professional subjects.
English, Math, Natural Sciences (environmental studies, biology, chemistry, physics and
computer science), Social Sciences (including History and Geography) and Cultural Studies
(including Kiribati language and traditional skills). It also includes such optional subjects as
Accounting, Commerce, Home Economics and Industrial Arts. Cultural studies for Kiribati
studies is essential for selection into junior secondary but not so for selection into Forms 6 and 7,
as these are academically biased towards preparation for University education, in which the need
for local language and skills is not critical.
The Ministry of Education oversees education in Kiribati. Control of educational issues
is given to the Minister of Education who appoints a permanent secretary. Administration is
centralized with little authority given to individual schools. The government, churches, and
parents provide funding for the educational system. In 1993, educational expenditures accounted
for approximately 25 percent of the national budget. Curriculum development for the schools is
conducted through the Ministry's Curriculum Development Center in Tarawa. As of April 2001,
Kiribati had not participated in any international or local research studies to assess the
effectiveness and provision of education in the republic. However, the literacy rate was estimated
to be about 90 percent.
The goal for the education sector is an education system achieving high standards, broad
coverage, relevance and cost effective delivery.
TERTIARY?

3. Economy
 The Gilbert Islands or Kiribati were granted self-rule by the United Kingdom in 1971 and
complete independence in 1979 under a new name, Kiribati. The United States relinquished all
claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship
with Kiribati, thus giving the island nation its present geographic composition. The economy of
Kiribati is small, and growth prospects are limited by the nation's remote location, poor
infrastructure, poor soil, unskilled labor force, and lack of natural resources. Marine resources
offer the greatest potential for the development of an independent, sustainable economy. Interest
earned from the phosphate reserve fund is the nation's main source of foreign exchange. Prior to
independence, it was realized that the phosphate resources of Kiribati were limited, and instead
of using the royalty revenues from phosphate mining for immediate expenditures, they were
placed in a trust fund, the Revenue Equalization Reserve Fund (RERF). The interest income
from the investment of this trust fund has been available for expenditure by the Kiribati
government since independence in 1979. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
exhausted by the time of independence. Other sources of foreign exchange include some
commodity exports (copra [coconut meat], seaweed, and fish), licensing income from fishing,
and remittances from Kiribati citizens working for international shipping lines. The financial
sector is at an early stage of development, as are private initiatives in other sectors. Economic
development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness
from international markets.
Kiribati has a modest income level that places it among the poorer countries in the
world's lower middle-income group. The agricultural base, including subsistence production, is
narrow and generated 14 percent of GDP in 1996. Copra is the only important cash crop, and
commercial fishing (mainly tuna) is undertaken by the small fleet of the national fishing
company. The agriculture sector (including fishing) is the occupation of the majority of the
working population and accounted for 71 percent of employment in 1990, though most of this
employment was self-employment on small family farms. The industrial sector contributed 7
percent of GDP in 1996 (of which manufacturing was 1 percent) and the services sector
contributed 79 percent. The main service activity is the government sector, with trade and hotels
accounting for 14 percent of GDP. Tourism remains underdeveloped, although it has the potential
to become the second largest sector after fisheries. Kiribati's extremely limited export base and
dependence on imports for almost all essential commodities result in a permanent (and widening)
trade deficit , which is in most years only partially offset by revenues from fishing license fees,
interest earned on the RERF, and remittances from Kiribati working overseas.
The government has earmarked Christmas and Fanning islands in the Line group and
Canton Island in the Phoenix group as prime areas for future development. There is little open
unemployment in the sense of people being unable to find some gainful employment if they so
wish, and unemployment is estimated at around 2 percent of the workforce. However, there is
evidence of underemployment, with the workforce engaged for perhaps only 30 percent of the
hours that might be considered normal in a working week.
Foreign financial aid is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25 to 50 percent of GDP
since independence in 1979. Initially the United Kingdom was the largest aid donor, but now had
overtaken by some of Kiribati's Pacific Ocean neighbors. Grants from principal donors amounted
to an estimated US$20.7 million in 1998, of which US$5.7 million was from Japan, US$4.5
million from Australia, and US$4.3 million from New Zealand. The country is particularly
reliant on foreign assistance for its development budget. Remittances from workers abroad
account for more than US$5 million each year.
The government is involved in all aspects of the economyits spending accounts for
71.5 percent of GDPand it is taking measures to expand the private sector and develop the
fledgling industrial sector. The poor performance of most public enterprises burdens the budget
and adversely effects economic efficiency. Unfortunately, only little progress had made in
implementing the government's Medium Term Strategy, which focuses on reducing the role of
the public sector by freezing civil service recruitment, reducing government spending, improving
the accountability of public enterprises, and introducing privatization.
The sale of fishing licenses to foreign fleets provides an important source of income.
Revenues from the sale of fishing licenses amounted to more than half of GDP in 1998. Mining
of phosphate rock on the island of Banaba (which ceased in 1979) formerly provided some 80
percent of earnings. As well as providing foreign exchange, interest from the phosphate reserve
fund, RERF, continues to be an important source of budgetary income. The value of the fund was
put at US$380 million at the end of 1998, and generates around US$20 million a year in
revenues from interest.

4. Politics
Republic - parliamentary democracy
Formerly a part of the British Crown Colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Kiribati
became internally autonomous in 1977. It became an independent nation within the British
Commonwealth in 1979. Kiribati was separated from Ellice Islands (now Tuvalu) in 1975 based
on a postal vote in 1974 in which most of the Ellice people sought separation from the Gilbert
Islands. The 1979 Treaty of Friendship between the United States and Kiribati led to the former's
recognition of sovereignty over various disputed islands in the Phoenix and Line groups. In
return, the Kiribati government must consult with the United States if a third party is allowed
access to the islands for military purposes. Furthermore the United States has the right to
construct facilities on the islands. Kiribati's independence also provided for the inclusion of
Banaba, a former phosphate-mining center, as a part of the new nation despite the contrary
wishes of its native residents.

The constitution of Kiribati developed from a convention held at Bairiki on Tarawa in

May 1977, involving 200 men and women representing all the islands and various interest
groups. A sense of egalitarianism and communitarianism, and a suspicion of central authority
have long been part of the Kiribati political culture. The resulting complex political system built
in safeguards to curtail the abuse of power.

Kiribati has a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, known as the Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu. In traditional I-Kiribati culture, the Maneaba, found at the center of the village, was
the cultural and social center of village life. All villages have the Maneaba to this day; it is the
place where information is passed on, ideas are discussed, and consensus is reached. Therefore,
the National Assembly embodies that spirit. It includes 42 members, 40 of whom are popularly
elected to four-year terms by universal suffrage from each island based on population; 1
appointed seat is reserved for a representative of the Banaban community, and the Attorney
General sits ( ex-officio ) as a non-elected member of parliament. If no candidate receives a
majority of the votes, a runoff election must be held. Each member of the Maneaba Ni
Maungatabu serves unofficially as a social worker and welfare officer, a messenger and
interpreter of the laws of Kiribati, and is an ex officio member of the island council of his or her
district.

The head of state and government is the president or beretitenti. He is elected by

universal suffrage from a list of three to four members provided by the National Assembly. In the
event that there are more than four candidates nominated for the election from the National
Assembly, secret balloting based on preferential voting is conducted. Each member of the
National Assembly ranks his or her preferences from one to four, with four votes for the most
preferred. After the preference ballots are counted, the top four candidates are

nominated for the election. There is no runoff presidential election. The president
has the power to dissolve the assembly and call for general elections, and to govern
with an appointed cabinet. While the constitution stipulates that the president
cannot serve more than three terms, each term not to exceed four years, the rule
was set aside for President Tabai, Kiribati's first president. After a presidential no-
confidence vote, the president must resign, and the Council of State (composed of
the chair of the Public Service Commission, the chief justice, and the speaker of the
National Assembly) assumes the functions of a transitional executive until the new
president is elected. While traditional Kiribati politics are party-free, two major
political groups resembling parties have emerged: the Maneaban te Mauri Party,
and the Boutokaan te Koaua Party. Kiribati's defense force was abolished in 1978 by
then-president Tabai

5. Religion
Christianity
Several of the smaller Christian churches claim to have higher numbers of adherents, but
there is no independent confirmation. Persons with no religious affiliation account for less than
1% of the population.Members of the Catholic Church are concentrated in the northern islands,
while Protestants are the majority in the southern islands. Missionaries introduced Christianity
into the area in the mid-19th century.They are currently present and operate freely. The
Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right
in practice. Societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice occur, but are
relatively infrequent.
STATTISTICS?

Bah' Faith
 The only substantial non-Christian population is of the Bah' Faith. The Bah' Faith in
Kiribati begins after 1916 with a mention by `Abdu'l-Bah, then head of the religion, that Bah's
should take the religion to the Gilbert Islands which form part of modern Kiribati. The first
Bah's pioneered to the island of Abaiang(aka Charlotte Island, of the Gilbert Islands), on March
4, 1954. They encountered serious opposition from some Catholics on the islands and were
eventually deported and the first convert banished to his home island. However in one year there
was a community of more than 200 Bah's and a Bah' Local Spiritual Assembly.Three years
later the island where the first convert was sent to was found to now have 10 Bah's. By 1963
there were 14 assemblies. As the Ellice Islands gained independence as Tuvalu and the Gilbert
Islands and others formed Kiribati, the communities of Bah's also reformed into separate
institutions of National Spiritual Assemblies in 1981. The Bah's had established a number
schools by 1963 and there are still such today - indeed the Ootan Marawa Bah' Vocational
Institute being the only teacher training institution for pre-school teachers in Kiribati. The
census figures are consistently between 2 and 3% for the Bah's while the Bah's claim
numbers above 17%. All together the Bah's now claim more than 10,000 local people have
joined the religion over the last 50 years and there are 38 local spiritual assemblies.

II. Culture

1. Beliefs
Nareau was the god who was credited with creating the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon and
the stars. After Nareau came an era of spirits (anti), then an era when the inhabitants of the earth
were half-spirit, half human (anti ma aomata) and humans evolved from them. The spirits -
Auriaria, Tabuariki, Tarurimai, Terakunene, Kaobunang, Nei Tituabine and Temamang - were the
most important figures in Gilbertese (Kiribati) worship. Each kaainga would worship one of
these spirits, and on others a number of spirits was recognised. Sometimes the same spirit was
given different names on different islands. A totem - the shark, turtle, stingray, black noddy or
various other kinds of fish and birds - was recognised by each group of worshippers, who were
forbidden to kill or eat their totem.

The relative importance of the various spirits differed from island to island and from
kaainga to kaainga. Often, one spirit would be the principal subject of a kaainga's worship while
others would be regarded as lesser gods associated with more specialised functions, for example
with fishing, fighting, strength, love affairs, or predicting the future.

The main objectives of Gilbertese (Kiribati) worship were to obtain assistance from the
spirits for special occasions like fighting, as well as for day-to-day matters, and to obtain
protection from the anger of the spirits or from spells cast by enemies or rivals. It was believed
that misfortunes and death were often the result of failure to behave properly towards the gods.
 Each kaainga usually had a baangota where the spirits were worshipped. It was usually,
but not always, located on the side of the kaainga closest to the ocean amongst trees and bush.
The baangota was a few yards square and fenced with boulders. Within the fenced area the
ground was covered with gravel, and in the centre there was usually one to three trees. Beneath
the trees there was usually a large block of coral and beside this a clam or other shell in which
offerings to the spirit were placed. It was believed that the spirit could move around, even
beyond the island, but that he would come to his baangota when called by his followers.

There was one main ibonga or priest, responsible for each baangota. Other members of
the kaainga, usually chosen from the ibonga's family, might become his helpers. This practice
ensured the continuation of the priest's art and knowledge. Early in the morning and in the
evening, and on special occasions, determined by the phases of the moon, the ibonga and his
followers would gather in the baangota to worship. At most ceremonies there would be offerings
to the spirits - usually valued foods like te korokoro (a special type of food made from kabubu
mixed with kamaimai). In more recent times this was supplemented or replaced by tobacco. The
ibonga would call the spirit and, after he had made contact with him, would make requests for
the people. The spirit would make his instructions known by signs - especially in weather
changes, movements of leaves or dreams - which only the ibonga could interpret. At the end of
the worship the ibonga would collect the offerings, place a small amount under the large stone,
and either distribute the rest or deep it for his own use.

Belief in tabunea, or sorcery, was universal. The general purpose of spells and
incantations was to obtain the support and protection of the supernatural in matters not covered
by the usual worship at the baangota. When spells were directed against another person, any
misfortune which befell him would be attributed to them, but if the person was unaffected it
would be assumed that his own magic had made him immune. Examples of Gilbertese (Kiribati)
magic include saying incantations over a boy by one of his older male relatives, associated with
exercises designed to strengthen his body. This combination of physical training and magical
rituals would make him grow into a powerful warrior and a strong worker for his kaainga.

There was also magic used by both males and females to win the heart of a loved one. The
name of the person desired would be recited as part of the incantation, and the magical power
made to reach him or her in a number of ways. The most common was to say the spell over some
object or food that would be worn, touched or eaten by the person concerned. If two people were
directing spells at the same loved one, and this became known, each would try to eliminate the
other by magic. There was magic for composing too, and one who wanted to compose a love
song, or a song for mourning or for a special occasion, sought supernatural help. Finally, there
was magic for killing an enemy or a rival (especially for love or power). The person cursed was
expected to suffer from an accident or a disease. If the magic failed to kill the rival, it was
believed that he was protected by more powerful magic. This type of magic was often used by
politically ambitious men in an attempt to overcome their rivals for leadership.
 2. Values
Before Kiribati was colonised the basic unit of economic organisation was the "kainga". A
"kainga" is a small group of extended families.

When Christianity and colonial rule were introduced people relocated from dispersed traditional
lands to centralised villages. Kainga broke down and the immediate family/household became
the most important economic unit.
Kiribati society has strong egalitarian values therefore affluence was discouraged.
Equality was maintained through ostracism, shaming and sharing surplus wealth.While much
sharing was voluntary the "bubuti" system was key in maintaining equality as it forced those
with a surplus to share it with extended family members in need.

The extended family members in need could make a "non-refusable request" to another
family member who had to comply. Non-compliant family members would be shamed and
ostracised as they were said to lack compassion. Bubuti can act as a tax on working people and
reduce their willingness to invest in business and has damaged economic growth. I-Kiribati
entering into business are often subjected to the demands of bubuti from extended family
members and this has led to many businesses failing.
A common strategy was for families to place a non-Kiribati family member as owner or manager
of the business to prevent bubuti.Bubuti is prevalent today.
3. Norms
The Gilbertese are one of the proudest, the most formal and the most polite of Pacific
peoples. The old men had the responsibility for matters of etiquette. For example, nothing must
be suspended from the rafters of the maneaba; there must be no noise and no turning one's back
to the company. Nor should you interrupt old people and cut them short. Each family had a
special place in the maneaba and an inherited function in any ceremonies.
The sharing out of food followed a very strict system of priority. The Gilbertese are
extremely sensitive in such matters. Certainly, the chiefs tried to be known for their politeness
and genial nature. One very sacred thing for the Gilbertese is the head. "Watch it, or I will smack
your head!" This is a supreme insult. There is no need for an actual blow - the words are enough
and would lead to an immediate dual. To accept something past over the host's head is extremely
impolite. Children are even ashamed when the missionaries put their hands on their heads. To
place one's hand on an old man's head would be a near scandal.

4. Material Culture and Technology

Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space
 Rural houses usually are built of traditional materials and are open-sided rectangular
structures with thatched roofs and raised floors. In towns, more houses are built with imported
materials such as concrete block and corrugated iron. The most symbolically important structure
is the rectangular, open-sided maneaba (meeting house), which may be owned by a family,
church community, or village. The maneaba functions as a central place for formal and informal
group activities. Maneaba built with modern materials follow the traditional prescriptions of
style, aspect, and orientation. The floor is composed of unmarked but known sitting places
termed boti arranged around the perimeter, with one belonging to each family represented in the
maneaba ; this is the place from which a representative (usually the oldest male) of each family
participates in community discussions and decision making. Churches are architecturally
European and often are the largest structures in a village.
Food and Economy
Food in Daily Life. Fish and marine resources are a primary food source, as the
ecological nature of atolls mean that only the most hardy plants can grow there. Local crops
include coconut, giant swamp taro, breadfruit, pandanus, and a native fig. Coconut is central to
the diet and is especially valued for the sweet, vitamin-rich toddy (sap) cut from the flower
spathe. Toddy is used as a children's drink or as a base for syrup. It can also be soured into
vinegar and fermented into an alcoholic drink. Drunkenness is a widespread problem that is dealt
with on some islands by the prohibition of alcohol. Imported goods, especially rice, but also
flour, canned butter, and canned fish and meat, are becoming increasingly important in the daily
diet.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. The display and eating of prestige foods is
central to all celebrations and banquets. Although imported goods are increasingly available,
local foods are more important in feasting, such as crayfish, giant clam, pig, chicken, and giant
swamp taro. The most symbolically valued crop is giant swamp taro, which is grown in pits dug
into the water lens under each atoll.

Basic Economy. Around 80 percent of the population engages in subsistence agriculture

and fishing. The cash economy is limited largely to South Tarawa, where the private sector of the
economy is very small and there are few manufacturing enterprises. Independence in 1979
coincided with the end of phosphate mining on Banaba, which in 1978 had accounted for 88
percent of the nation's export earnings. The cash economy has now shifted to dependence on
remittances from I-Kiribati employed in phosphate mining on Nauru or working as seamen on
foreign-owned merchant ships, as well as foreign aid. Accounting for some 60 percent of the
gross domestic product in 1995, aid is received mainly from Japan, Australia, New Zealand,
South Korea, and the European Union. The government has determined that there is potential for
the development of tourism. However, economic development is constrained by a shortage of
skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and geographic remoteness.

Land Tenure and Property

 Access to and ownership of land underlie and cement social relations. A vital unit in I-
Kiribati society, the utu includes all those people who are linked as kin and share common
ownership of land plots. Everyone on an island belongs to several utu; people may inherit the
land rights for each utu from either parent. The kainga , or family estate, sits at the heart of each
utu, and those who live on the particular kainga of one of their utu have the greatest say in utu
affairs and the largest share of produce from the land in that utu. The colonial government
attempted to reorganize the land tenure system to encourage the codification of individual land
holdings, in part to reduce land disputes. As a result, land transfers are now registered.

Commercial Activities. Marine resources have emerged as the most important natural
resource for Kiribati, particularly the licensing of foreign fishing vessels to fish in the two
hundred nautical miles of the exclusive economic zone in the waters surrounding the islands.
Efforts to develop a competitive local fishing company have been less successful but large stocks
of tuna fish remain in Kiribati waters. Copra, fish, and farmed seaweed are major exports.

Trade
The primary imports are food, manufactured goods, vehicles, fuel, and machinery. Most
consumer goods are imported from Australia, and the Australian dollar is the unit of currency.

5. Language
Kiribati (taetae ni Kiribati or Gilbertese)
Kiribati is a Micronesian language spoken in Kiribati, Fiji, Nauru, the Solomon Islands,
Tuvalu and Vanuatu by about 70,000 people. The Republic of Kiribati was formerly called the
Gilbert Islands and their language was called Gilbertese. The islands were named after Captain
Thomas Gilbert, who "discovered" the main island of the group in 1788. Kiribati [kiribas] is the
local version of Gilbert. The original name of the islands was Tungaru.
The Kiribati language first appeared in writing in the mid-19th century. Rev. Hiram
Bingham, Jr. of the Protestant mission based in Hawaii arrived in the Gilberts in 1857, devised a
way of writing Kiribati using the Latin alphabet and used it to produce a translation of the Bible.
Other missionaries devised different spelling systems.
In the mid-1970s the Kiribati Language Board was established to standardize the
orthography and grammar of the Kiribati language, to compose and update a dictionary and to
work towards development of a Kiribati literature.

Kiribati alphabet and pronunciation

Aa Bb Ee Ii Kk Mm Nn
ah bee eh ee kee mm nn
[a] [b] [e] [i] [k] [m] [n]
Ng ng O o Rr Tt Uu Ww
ngg oh ree see oo wee
[] [o] [r] [s] [u] [w]

Sample text in Kiribati

I a butiiko ma kawiiremweko riki n taetae ao tai kaboonganai taeka aika a kaangaanga b'a I
aonga ni waetata n rabakau.
Translation
Please speak slowly, and don't use difficult words, so that I can learn more quickly.

III. Prevailing Social Issue

Domestic Violence

Kiribati society has been traditionally male dominated with women as subordinate.

Elder men are the decision makers for communities.

After marriage, women move into their husband's household where they assume a subordinate
position. Women undertake the bulk of domestic chores.

Women have less access to employment.

I-Kiribati women are still subordinate to men in many aspects of their lives. This includes
within both the household and national economies, within community and national politics, in
their access to economic resources, and in their capacity to make decisions about their lives,
health and lifestyles.
Domestic violence is usually linked to alcohol consumption and jealousy between partners.
Kiribati women face a high level of domestic violence. Kiribati has one of the highest
rates of mental, physical and sexual abuse against women in the world. More than 68 per cent of
women aged 15 to 49 years who had been in a partnership had experienced physical or sexual
violence. Violence from male partners is often severe involving punching, kicking and the use of
weapons.

Violence was regarded as acceptable in Kiribati as many women believe men are justified
in beating their wives, especially is the wife is unfaithful or disobedient. Previously, the law did
not regard partner violence as a crime. However, in 2014 the Family Peace Act (Te Rau N Te
Mweenga) was passed in Parliament and the penal code has been amended therefore domestic
violence is now charged as a crime. This is a major step forward in curtailing the problem and
improving society.

As in many societies, domestic and sexual violence is difficult to enforce. Another

challenge is that most women withdraw their complaints within a few days. The main reason for
doing so and deciding to remain with abusive partners is women's fear of losing financial support
needed for themselves and their children. It is difficult for them to leave abusive husbands due to
limited economic opportunities.
Many abused women have no independent financial means and often nowhere to go if they leave
their partners.Kiribati children whose mothers suffer domestic violence were more likely to
repeat a year of school or drop out altogether.

Reference:

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