The Head of the Catholic Church in Fiji Archbishop Peter Loy Chong has called on men to respect their wife and children as they have the dignity to contribute to the world.
In his Holy Monday Retreat, Archbishop Chong pays tribute to women who out of their richness and gifts have contributed to our lives and remembers his mother and other women who have contributed to humanity through the gift of motherhood.
He also remembers women who have lost their dignity because of domestic violence and those that are not respected.
The Head of the Catholic Church of Fiji further says he would also like to remember women who have lost their dignity to meet their basic needs for survival.
Archbishop Chong says men should listen more to empower their wife and children to give them their dignity, and seek forgiveness for the time they have violated and abused their wife and children.
He says positive relationships always bring out positivity in a person.
Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator, Shamima Ali says the Archbishop’s message on women and acknowledging their contribution is encouraging.
Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator, Shamima Ali
Ali says this is a great start and they are always available to partner with any faith-based organisation in ensuring that violence against women and girls ends as it is an issue that needs to be addressed forthrightly.
She adds they would like to see faith-based organisations address the issue of patriarchy, which is the root cause of violence against women, and the inequality and discrimination women encounter in society.
Ali further says faith-based organisations will also need to look within themselves on male leadership in their organisations. She says if these things go together with the encouraging remarks the Archbishop has made, she believes faith-based organisations can contribute to the national policies on gender equality, ending violence against women and girls, and women’s participation in leadership.
