74% of all reported sexual violence cases are against children - Fiji Country Gender Assessment

In Fiji, the most common form of sexual violence is child sexual abuse involving girls (and some boys) under the age of 18 years, accounting for 74 percent of all reported sexual violence cases, according to the Fiji Country Gender Assessment.

This has been highlighted by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya in her ministerial statement in parliament today following the launch of the Fiji Country Gender Assessment last night.

Tabuya says more than 4 in 10 women experience severe physical violence, including 15 percent of women who are physically attacked during pregnancy.

She says moving forward, the Fiji Country Gender Assessment is expected to serve as a primary guide for all their policies, programmes, and budget allocations.

The Minister says they will focus on women's economic empowerment, prevention of gender-based violence, women's leadership, reproductive health rights, and the future of work in the context of the climate crisis, technology and the digital revolution as well as inclusive gender data and statistics.

She further says addressing the complex issues and challenges identified by the Fiji Country Gender Assessment requires a collective effort by the whole of government and whole of population.

Tabuya says these issues cannot be solved by any single individual, agency, or sector alone.

She further says in the coming months, the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation will be rolling out key whole-of-government initiatives, including the development of the Fiji Women's Economic Empowerment Plan (2023-2028), the roll out of the upcoming Fiji National Action Plan to prevent Violence against all Women and Girls (2023-2028), and the phase two of the Gender Transformative Institutional Capacity Development Initiative (ICD) with specific on gender responsive budgeting (2023-2028).

While responding to the statement, Opposition MP, Mosese Bulitavu says Tabuya still fails to acknowledge her previous statement in Parliament on events that transpired in 1987 and could be part of the evidence that came out.

He has also acknowledged the Commissioner for the Fiji Corrections Service, Salote Panapasa where she is the first woman in that role which is an achievement.

Bulitavu also acknowledged the achievements of Fijiana 7s player Rusila Nagasau for winning the Fiji Sports Women of the Year award and Fijiana Drua players.