A call to action has been made by Fiji’s Media Editors regarding online abuse and cyberbullying faced by women in media — whether they are journalists, personalities, or working in the other fields.
This comes due to the lack of effective enforcement under Fiji’s current Online Safety Act.
Speaking at the Women in Media Inaugural Conference, Communications Fiji Limited’s News Director, Vijay Narayan says the organisation has lodged some complaints to the Online Safety Commission concerning abuse faced by women at CFL, but there has been no update.
He says that even when the name of the abuser is provided, no action has been taken.
Narayan stresses that true organizational resilience starts at the top — with the board, and pointed towards good values that you never compromise, strong risk management systems and well-tested Human Resource policies.
He also urged stronger risk strategies to tackle technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and called for life skills sessions to help media workers cope with rising stressors, including drugs, mental health, and social pressure.
Fred Wesley, Editor-in-Chief of The Fiji Times says one of the key barriers is the failure to recognise and appreciate the contributions of women in journalism.
He says Human Resource policies often aren’t tailored for the realities women face — especially when it comes to parenting, maternity leave, and balancing family responsibilities with newsroom demands.
He adds there is a need to understand the moral, physical, mental, and psychological differences women face — and build policies around that.
Felix Chaudhary, Acting General Manager of News and Sports at the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation says real change starts at the top — and that if leadership supports women and fosters an open-door policy for reporting problems, that influence will extend throughout the entire newsroom.
Stanley Simpson, Director of MaiTV and General Secretary for the Fijian Media Association says 15 years ago there were no gender policies in place and very little support for women facing abuse or tough work conditions.
He says there were cases of domestic violence, and women came to work with physical injuries, and he had to take action himself — calling in husbands and reading them the law.
Simpson also says there was no legal support for journalists during politically difficult times, and women were especially vulnerable.
He has called for the introduction of a clear women’s policy for all media organisations.
The Women in Media Inaugural Conference is being held at the Grand Pacific Hotel and will conclude tomorrow.
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