MOTHER’S DAY : Stop violence because our faith says so - Rev Turaganivalu

Stop rape and violence against women and children because our faith says so.

This is the Mother's Day message from Reverend Noa Turaganivalu of the Methodist Church in Fiji’s Gender Equality Theology Institutional Transformation office.

The Methodist Church in Fiji’s Gender Equality Theology Institutional Transformation office advocates for gender equality and pushes for institutional transformation in the Church.

It was established in 2018.

Reverend Turaganivalu says the recent findings by a World Bank survey revealed gross gender inequality in household care and this calls for a proactive approach by all stakeholders, particularly churches in Fiji.

He said social norms in contemporary society, where tradition seems to linger on, women are always perceived as inferior to men.

He said this was greatly influenced by the patriarchal world of the iTaukei society that is mainly dominated and ruled by men, likewise for Fijians of Indian descent.

He says the World Bank survey, part of which was conducted in Fiji and released late last month, showed there was an imbalance in household care that women carried more of the load.

He is calling on all Christians to stop rape and violence against women and children because our faith says so.

Reverend Turaganivalu says love and respect each other, so that God’s vision of equality and dignity of men and women, to ensure the vision of our church and community, should be upheld by all.