Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world with Fiji having 72% of women experiencing one or more types of violence in their lifetime from their husbands or intimate partner.
This was mentioned by the Permanent Secretary for Women Jennifer Poole during the launch of the report by the International Finance Corporation on the business case for workplace responses to domestic and sexual violence in Fiji.
Poole says Fijian women are getting stabbed in public parking lots, getting punched in the privacy of their homes or in the streets, getting raped in their own homes and getting killed in unimaginable situations over the most trivial things.
She says violence against our women is ugly and the statistics are absolutely atrocious.
Poole says it is a matter of shame and disgrace that violence against women is reported in such high numbers in our beloved Fiji a nation we claim is the way the world should be.
She says too many of our children witness the incidence of domestic violence within their homes on a daily basis.
Poole says our combined action is well overdue if we are to combat this life threatening problem.
She also says domestic and sexual violence have effects not just in the home but also in the workplace. Poole says it impacts not only those who are victims but also co‑workers, managers, customers, clients and employee perpetrators. She says it also affects employees’ attendance, productivity, health care costs, morale and safety.
Poole says in 2017, the 5 and 20 year National Development Plan cemented the Fijian Government’s commitment on gender equality highlighting the importance of equal opportunities for all including the participation of women and girls in education, leadership, overall economic development and efforts to eliminate gender‑based violence.
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