FWCC ramps up gender violence training across Fiji as Beqa women begin intensive program and Rewa men complete advocacy course

About 60 women on Beqa Island from Tikina Sawau are currently taking part in an intensive two-week training on gender, violence against women and girls, human rights, legal literacy and technology facilitated violence against women and girls while over 100 men from Rewa have completed the Male Advocacy for Women’s Human Rights program this year.

The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre says focusing on the theme Violence against Women and Girls: Ending Impunity, they have launched its 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women campaign with the training.

FWCC Coordinator Shamima Ali says these training sessions are held all across the country by FWCC as a strategy to develop a cadre of community advocates to help eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

She says FWCC commends the Rewa Provincial Office for having such a progressive development agenda, as this request, like many others in the last two years, has come directly from them.

Ali says it is encouraging to see that the Rewa Province sees gender equality as a necessary component of its overall development and they clearly see that FWCC's work aligns with the broader development goals of the Rewa Province, which has its own Sustainable Development Plan focused on poverty and social development.

She says since 2023, FWCC has conducted six awareness and training sessions for both men and women in villages in Rewa, focused on gender, violence against women and girls, human rights, and relevant laws.

Ali says the Male Advocacy for Women’s Human Rights program involves engaging men in efforts to eliminate violence against women from a rights-based approach.

The Coordinator says a key element is for these men to first change their own behaviour and thinking towards women and girls before they can influence other men.

FWCC say they have also set up village-level Elimination of Violence Against Women committees in Rewa.

They add these committees support survivors of domestic violence in accessing counselling, medical, and legal support services and advocate against violence within their communities.