Pacific Women, Girls Still Struggle To Exercise Their Human Rights

It is intolerable that across the globe and here in the Pacific, women and girls still struggle to exercise their whole human rights. This has to change.

This was the statement made by the Assistant Officer in Charge at the United Nations Women Fiji Multi-Country Office, Abi­gail Erikson at the Regional End­ing Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Services Symposi­um, which kicked off at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi on Wednesday.

There were more than 100 partic­ipants from more than 10 Pacific Island nations who attended the symposium.

The event was supported by the Pacific Partnership to End Vio­lence Against Women and Girls (Pacific Partnership) and the Re­gional Working Group (RWG) on the Implementation of Domestic Violence and Family Protection Legislation.

The symposium presented an op­portunity for the RWG member countries and states to learn and discuss significant successes and challenges with key gender-based violence or domestic violence ser­vice providers across the region.

In her opening address, Ms Erik­son explained the violence that women globally endured.

“Already before COVID-19, one out every three women globally re­ports physical or sexual violence from her intimate partner in her lifetime and we know that global average doubles here in the Pacific region,” she said.

“This is up to all of us together to accelerate progress so that women and girls can live free from vio­lence everywhere and always.”

The Chair of the Regional Work­ing Group on the Implementation of Family Protection/Domestic Violence Legislation and the chief executive officer of Samoa’s Min­istry of Justice and Court Admin­istration, Moliei Vaai said women deserved safety and security.

“Passing Legislation is great is how our laws translate into survi­vors of domestic violence mainly women and girls experiencing the protection, the immediate sup­port, the security and safety that they deserve and that is the most tangible protection of our legisla­tion,” Ms Vaai said.

“There is still a lot of work to be done and some of them are urgent and that is the work that is in our watch today, tomorrow and into the future.”

At the official opening, the groups also launched the ‘How to Guide: Developing and Implementing National Gender-Based Violence Multisector Service Delivery Pro­tocols: Lessons from the Pacific’.

The symposium concludes today.

Feedback: nicolette.chambers@fijisun.com.fj