Tabuya: Social Marketing Campaigns To Roll-Out

Government will roll-out a nationwide social marketing campaign encompassing online safety that deal with gender-based violence and technology-assisted sexual harassment targeting women and girls.

This was revealed by the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya, in her address during the 25th Attorney-Gen­eral’s Conference the Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort in Denarau on Friday.

She said these were pressing issues that re­quire a collaborative approach to address.

“We must be equipped to combat online per­petrators whether you are a troll with someone who’s actually doing it under an alias,” Ms Tabuya said.

“I’m encouraged that the Fiji Police Force is now moving towards technology where they can trace perpetrators straight to their IP ad­dresses here in Fiji.

“This is something we need to strengthen be­cause we need to address the online violence that our people are facing, predominantly women and girls,” she said.

She said mechanisms needed to be established to regulate and hold social media platforms ac­countable to ensure the safety of all users.

Ms Tabuya also confirmed Government was aiming to review the Online Safety Bill 2018 which will be done in partnership with the Of­fice of the Attorney-General.

“The Government recognises that violence against Fijian women and girls in all diversity is not a one-off issue confined to individual acts of aggression with individual interven­tions, but a manifestation of systemic gender inequalities deeply rooted in our society that affects all of us,” she said.

“The Fiji National Action Plan or NAP con­firms that the root cause of violence is gender inequality and men’s power and control over women also known as patriarchy.”

To this, she said a significant milestone achievement made by Government was its first gender-responsive National Budget and Fiji National Action Plan, which is earmarked for implementation by early next year.

“Gender responsive budgeting means that ministries now have a dedicated budget line to support this National Action Plan to Prevent gender based violence,” she said.

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