SINCE the inception of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) regional training program in 1995, about 900 women and men from around the Pacific region have undergone training on how to address the issues of violence against women and children in their diverse communities.
The month-long training ensures that participants are empowered with a strong, grounded belief and sensitivity on women’s issues, enabling them to analyse, strategise and organise more effectively to address and reduce gender-based violence in their homes and communities.
FWCC coordinator Shamima Ali shared with the participants how women from various island countries first came together for the first workshop.
“The first week there was a lot of crying because every woman in that room had a lot of stories to tell of violence they had experienced,” Ms Ali said.
“That had bound us together even though they came from such a huge area, we were all bound by inequality, the way the women were treated, the violence they were undergoing.
“After the crying and the counselling, the following week they all sat down and said ‘What are we going to do’.
“We did workshops in the first week and as it progressed, more and more issues started coming out. So, we felt that we needed to have a network.
“They talked about the issues they had with the law, the police, the attitude, religion, culture, how these things were used to keep women down and continue to keep women in a cycle of perpetual violence.”
During the training, which began this week, participants will discuss and analyse the incidence, severity and trends in gender-based violence in Pacific societies.
Week 4 will build on and include, data collection processes, documentation, setting up of exhibitions, campaigns and running workshops, lobbying, and advocacy. Other resource people conducting sessions throughout the training are knowledgeable in their area of work.
The training is held at the Yatu Lau Hotel & Conference in Suva and will end on May 30.
