issued to victims of family violence and outlines the duties of police officers, including the ‘no drop’ policy, meaning all reported cases of domestic violence must be investigated. Crimes Act 2013: Establishes a range of crimes relating to family violence, including murder, manslaughter, and assault, rape of minors, marital rape and incest. Constitutional Amendment Act 2013: Established the quota system for Parliament, requiring at least 10% female Members of Parliament. Ombudsman Act 2013: An act which establishes the Office of the Ombudsman as the National Human Rights Institution, mandated to monitor State compliance with its human rights obligations and to protect and promote rights nationally. Community Justice Act 2008: An act to allow community based sentencing, to minimize the number of custodial sentences handed down by the courts and to aid the rehabilitation of offenders. Alternative Dispute Resolution Act 2007: An act which allows courts to refer matters to alternative dispute resolution rather than go through the formal and costly court process. Ministry of Women’s Affairs Act 1990: Creates the roles of village representatives and outlines the role of MWCSD. Infants Ordinance 1961: An ordinance which establishes legal protection for children and standards for those who are guardians for children. The Family Safety Act 2013 remains one of the key pieces of legislation yet could be further strengthened to encompass financial violence within its definition and to include time limits for serving of protection orders. “I have experienced delays in the serving of protection orders which has endangered my clients. I wonder how many applicants experience these unnecessary delays caused by either MJCA not referring to police or police not serving the order. I also wonder how many people have the means to follow up and push for immediate serving as I do with my clients. Do police consider the safety of the victim when they fail to serve the orders?” Savalenoa Mareva Betham-Annandale, Family Law Barrister and Solicitor, Inquiry public hearings The Inquiry also received strong calls from a range of legal actors for the immediate passage of the Child Protection Bill, and expressing frustration that it has not yet been enacted as an Act of Parliament despite years of deliberation, consultation and drafting. The Bill is intended to give MWCSD the legal authority to

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