WOMEN, Children and Social Protection Minister Sashi Kiran has reiterated the call for a national shift in attitude and behaviour towards women and children, saying harmful social norms continue to drive the high rate of violence against them.
Ms Kiran said that for far too long efforts to curb the incidence of violence against women and children have focused on responding after violence has occurred.
“This year alone Fiji has lost nine people to gender-based violence,” she said.
The minister told a candle vigil at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Suva that national efforts to reduce the violence would not be possible without confronting the beliefs, practices, blame and unequal power in homes and communities that normalised violence.
“We cannot keep putting bandages on a wound our society keeps reopening,” Ms Kiran said, adding prevention meant challenging the norms that allowed this violence to continue.
Ms Kiran said the Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls (2023-2028), which has been endorsed by the Cabinet, was designed specially to address these underlying drivers.
She said the development of the plan involved communities, faith leaders, teachers, health workers, and survivors.
Work underway includes a review of the Family Life Education curriculum, partnerships with major faith organisations to influence attitudes, national shelter guidelines, strengthened service delivery protocols, and moves to embed zero-tolerance in the public service.
She said provincial councils and traditional leaders have also begun integrating prevention commitments within the vanua, recognising their influence on community norms and behaviour.
The minister shared a personal experience of losing a cousin to domestic violence, saying silence within families had allowed the abuse to go unchallenged.
She said such cases showed why communities must act early and support women who seek help.
“Real change requires courage from every household and every leader.
“We need to build families and communities where women and girls are valued, protected and able to live without fear.”
Ms Kiran added that the vigil, a feature of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, was a moment of mourning as well as a reminder that prevention required continuous effort beyond the 16-day campaign.
