Stories shared by the media can disrupt cycles of silence, says Mereseini Rakuita, Principal Strategic Lead—Women and Girls at the Pacific.
Speaking at the Women in Media Inaugural Conference 2025 held at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, Ms Rakuita reminded journalists that they could shift the narrative from shame to justice, from pity to power.
“Reporting on Gender Based Violence is not just a technical skill, it is an ethical responsibility,” she said.
“We know that women’s actions are questioned more harshly, judged more quickly and scrutinised more personally than that of men.
“Women leaders in every field, including your own, are held to unreasonable standards, whether in the newsroom, in Parliament or on the rugby field.”
Ms Rakuita said journalists, as watchdogs, storytellers and catalysts for change may often find themselves on the receiving end of abuse.
