Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa says it is a matter of shame and disgrace that violence against women is reported in such high numbers in Fiji, a nation we claim is the way the world should be.
While speaking at the Gender, Violence Against Women and Human Rights Training for the Ministry Staff, Vuniwaqa says violence against women and girls is life threatening not only because of the lives that are at risk as we speak, but because it is going to continue in a cycle if it does not stop now.
She says violence against women is a social problem that many people witness and experience throughout their life cycle; sometimes as victims and sometimes as aggressors.
Vuniwaqa adds the message needs to be consistently loud, clear and unequivocal that violence against women and children is illegal and it needs to be punished.
She says and if we do not make that message consistently loud, clear and unequivocal now, we will run the risk of raising a generation of Fijians who will grow up thinking that gender‑based violence can be justified in certain circumstances.
She told the participants that Fiji can no longer afford to let its women and girls suffer in silence adding their domestic violence help-line is going to further break the silence on violence.
She says a lot is left to be done and they have to work together in eliminating violence against women and girls to ensure that they enjoy their human rights just as well as men and boys do.
Vuniwaqa has urged the participants to learn as much as they can in this week in relation to these issues and concepts that they have talked about and protect our women, empower them and help them live a life free from violence and discrimination.
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