Violence against women and children has increased significantly during lockdowns, with 527 case calls to the Ministry of Women’s helpline. Yet despite the bleak news, the pandemic is a unique window for us to address our social ills, unearth, redesign and rebuild our social fabric.

“WHEN WOMEN LEAD AND THRIVE, THE ENTIRE VANUA WILL THRIVE”

by Fiji Sun

When women lead and thrive, the entire vanua will thrive, says Rise Beyond the Reef co-founder Semi Lotawa. He was speaking on the issue of Gender Equality on Mai TV’s Reset Fiji last night, where he said in order to shift gender dynamics in Fijian communities post COVID-19, tools were needed to leverage the change.

He said it was important for men to champion those transformational changes to shift dynamics of harmful norms.“A workshop alone doesn’t change dynamics.

There are many platforms to stand on and for us we have chosen economic development for women,” Mr Lotawa said.

“Dynamics needs to change because it gets to the hearts of women to meet their needs, manifest their vision and encourage their voice and choice.” This, he said, was long term work because trust needed to be built.

Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation chief executive officer, Kameli Batiweti, said studies had shown that companies that didn’t engage women as leaders became less productive and less innovative. “It is also interesting to note that in universities in Fiji, a lot of graduates are women, yet less women are participating in the workforce in the country,” he said. “Companies that disregard women are doing it at their own cost.”

Business owner Kim Beddoes said it was important for business owners to receive the right support and empathy in order to survive during the pandemic, creating employment opportunities for its employees.

“To be empowered, women and girls need employment, we the businesses need support so that when we can survive,” she said.

“When we survive with the right support, we provide employment and support for these women in the country.”

Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre coordinator Shamima Ali said 64 per cent of women in Fiji had experienced physical, sexual and emotional violence at the hands of their intimate partner. She said there was a need for everyone to adopt the feminist human rights approach and strategies.

She said there was a need for everyone to adopt the feminist human rights approach and Fiji Women Rights Movement executive director, Nalini Singh, said to ensure that COVID-19 recovery efforts were responsive and effective, it was important that issues were addressed by listening with intent.

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WHAT THE PANELISTS SAID?

“There is no time to waste! Women’s rights organisations have been working with multiple stakeholders in response to the crisis.”

Nalini Singh, Executive Director, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM)

“In order to shift gender dynamics in communities, you need tools to leverage change- a workshop alone does not change dynamics.”

Semi Lotawa, Co-founder, Rise Beyond the Reef

“COVID19 preventative measures- create environments’ conducive to gender based violence: survivors were locked in with their perpetrators; -it gives the perpetrator a lot of time and a lot of space to perpetrate”

Shamima Ali, Coordinator, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre

“It is amazing to see in the Universities in Fiji, most of the graduates are #women yet less women are participating in our workforce in our country.”

Kameli Batiweti, CEO, Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation

“When women lead, it’s with #empathy, and it is empathy that is going to get us through this situation.” This is the time for women leaders to step up and shine.

Kim Beddoes, Managing Director, Party and Events Fiji

“The Pacific is over-crowded with reports and studies conducted by persons outside of communities; if we understand existing tables and listen to them, we can strengthen the existing currencies, abundance and acknowledge…”

Semi Lotawa, Co-founder, Rise Beyond the Reef

 “We saw an increase in calls of about 200% from March to April.”

Shamima Ali, Coordinator, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre

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Brought to you in partnership with University of the South Pacific, Oxfam in the Pacific and Pacific Network on Globalisation.