One woman who experiences violence is one too many – PM

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says one woman who experiences violence is one too many.

As he opened consultations on the National Action Plan to prevent violence against women and girls, Bainimarama asked everyone to observe a moment of silence to honour the many women and girls who have been murdered, injured, abused or otherwise harmed.

He also praised and thanked the advocates and women’s rights organisations and the community based organisations that have been working tirelessly to end the suffering of so many women and the fear that they must live with everyday.

Bainimarama says it pains him to say that two of every three women in Fiji have experienced physical or sexual violence from a male intimate partner in their lifetime.

Bainimarama says despite the legal and policy reforms they have undertaken and the programs they have established they know that much needs to done to stamp out violence against women and girls.

He says we must eradicate the notion that women are in any way weaker or lesser than.

Today marks the start of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence which is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.