PROTECTING women and girls from violence must be an ongoing Government priority, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre co-ordinator Shamima Ali says.
She has also warned that women remained unsafe in their homes and public spaces amid continuing concerns over violence and unexplained disappearances.
Her comments follow the discovery of a woman’s body at Thurston Gardens in Suva on Friday night and the alleged murder of another woman in Wailoaloa, Nadi, last week.
“Women and girls are not safe almost anywhere, whether they be in their homes, on the streets or anywhere else,” she said.
Ms Ali said the issue extended beyond women found dead in public places, with missing women who had never been found also requiring urgent attention.
“We also have to address the issue of missing women who have been reported missing and have never been found,” she said.
She said domestic violence, rape and sexual violence against children also remained serious concerns that demanded action.
“Then we have got domestic violence, we’ve got rape, we’ve got the rape of children and so on,” she said.
Ms Ali stressed that the safety of women and girls must remain a priority for both Government and civil society.
“So, their safety should be an ongoing concern for us,” she said.
“It starts from the home, then it goes out in the community, it’s everywhere.”
She attributed violence against women and girls to deep-rooted misogyny and inequality, saying it reflected attitudes that denied them bodily autonomy and equal rights.
