‘Gender-based violence is a national crisis, not a private matter’ — PM Rabuka

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has issued one of his strongest condemnations yet of violence against women and girls, declaring it a national crisis that 'diminishes all of us' as Fiji begins the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

In a statement to mark the launch of the 16 days of activism today, the Prime Minister said the campaign is not symbolic but a decisive call to concerted, lasting action as Fiji confronts some of the highest violence rates in the world.

“We cannot, and we must not, shy away from the truth that is captured in the stark statistics,” he said.

“The fact that nearly two in every three women in Fiji who have been in a relationship have suffered physical or sexual violence by a male partner is not a statistic—it is a national tragedy.”

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

Photo: Talei Roko

Mr Rabuka said the violence cuts across generations and communities, highlighting alarming findings from the first national prevalence study: one in six women reported being sexually abused as a child before age 15, and in 95 per cent of cases the perpetrator was a trusted male family member or family friend.

“This is not a private matter. It is not a women’s issue. It is a national crisis that diminishes all of us,” he said.

“A violence-free Fiji is foundational to a prosperous Fiji.”

Mr Rabuka noted that when the global 16-day campaign was conceived in 1991, Fiji was in the room, represented by Fijian women leaders who helped shape what is now a worldwide movement linking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) to Human Rights Day (10 December).

For more than three decades, he said, civil society organisations have “bravely carried this torch” despite resistance.

Government’s plan to prevent violence

He reaffirmed his government’s full commitment to the Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls (NAP) — a costed, whole-of-government, whole-of-population strategy he described as “non-negotiable”.

“This Action Plan is our non-negotiable, ‘whole-of-government’ and ‘whole-of-population’ commitment to stopping this violence before it even starts,” he said. “It is a costed, evidence-based, and globally significant plan—the first of its kind in the Pacific Island Countries, and only the second in the entire world, next to Australia.”

He detailed ongoing work across key sectors:

• Disciplined forces: Reinstitution of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre’s Male Advocacy Programme within the RFMF.
• Police: Senior crime officers trained on survivor-centred and trauma-informed approaches.
• iTaukei leadership: Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) focal officers in Provincial Councils now have violence-prevention KPIs.
• Judiciary: Strengthening of the “No Drop” policy and action to end the use of bulubulu in criminal cases.
• New frontiers: Recognition of cyber-bullying, online harassment and image-based abuse as serious violence.
• Education: Curriculum review to build understanding of respect, consent and gender equality.
• Health: Strengthening Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services linked to GBV.
• Media: Promoting responsible reporting and challenging harmful stereotypes.

“This is what a ‘whole-of-government’ approach looks like. It is methodical, it is comprehensive, and it is happening now,” he said.

Mr Rabuka warned that violence against women and girls is not only a human rights violation but a direct economic burden, costing millions annually through lost productivity, health impacts, legal processes and disrupted education for children.

“Ending violence is thus one of our most potent economic development strategies,” he said.

Call to national unity

He paid tribute to civil society and faith-based organisations, calling them “indispensable partners” whose grassroots reach and expertise remain central to implementation of the NAP.

He also called on sporting bodies, traditional leaders and men in all sectors to be critical partners in the solution.

“This National Action Plan is our promise to all women and girls of Fiji,” he said. “It is our commitment to the nation that we will build a Fiji where all citizens are safe, valued, and can live free from violence.”

In closing, he urged every Fijian to take part in the movement: “Support the survivor. Report the abuse. And end impunity, for good.”