A district representative from Vuna, Taveuni has admitted that many men enjoy their freedom while they treat their wives like labourers to take care of the household front.

Laisiasa Tuimouta is one of the participants at the weeklong Male Advocacy Workshop organised by Labasa Women’s Crisis Centre at Friendly North Inn.

“In our culture, we easily find men going out of the house for long hours of grog session,” Mr Tuimouta said.

“During this COVID-19 we have noticed an increased number of domestic violence reports. This is because when men return home grog dope, they put pressure on their wives and end up beating or verbally abusing them.”

“Some men think women or their wife is a labourer and needs to work around the house and look after children,” he added.

The workshop, which is attended by village headmen, district reps and retired Police officers, is conducted with the aim of bringing women’s issues to the forefront with the hope of alleviating it.

New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Jonathan Curr, while opening the event said in Fiji specifically, a recently released data confirmed that 72 per cent of Fijian women have suffered from acts of violence in their lifetime.

“UN Women recently released a report stating that around 87,000 women were intentionally killed in 2017 around the world,”  Mr Curr said.

“In Fiji, eight women passed away last year as a result of violent acts.”

He said there was global recognition that women had a right to live free from violence.

“There are at least 144 countries that have passed laws to protect this integral right against domestic violence and 154 have laws on sexual harassment, Fiji and New Zealand included,” he said.

“In April, New Zealand with six others led a joint statement signed by 146 UN member states calling for action to address the rise of gender-based and domestic violence under COVID 19.”

He added yet despite comprehensive measures being taken around the world, violence against women remained a concern that continued to escalate.

United Nations Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Sanaka Samarasinha said among the eight women who died in Fiji was a mother of three working with them.

“We should never condone domestic violence against women, girls, and children,” Mr Samarasinha said.

“We must think about the victims, what they go through and how the incident affects them,” he said.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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