Fiji is equipped with the Domestic Violence Act to ensure justice and safety is given priority in cases of violence within homes and it requires a multi stakeholder approach and this study would pave the way for the private sector to join the pledge.
This was highlighted by the Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Ms. Jennifer Poole while launching the findings of the study – the “Business Case for Workplace Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence study in Fiji” carried out by the International Finance Corporation in partnership with the Government of Australia.
This study, which identifies the impacts of domestic and sexual violence on Fijian employees and employers, has been conducted to inform the development of tailored solutions for the business community in Fiji. The study is part of an ongoing IFC initiative to develop workplace responses to domestic and sexual violence in the Pacific, which supports employees experiencing violence and reduces impacts on the workplace.
The Fijian Government in its pledge to eliminate violence against women has made commitments at various levels that can help us change the way our women are treated.
She also said that the National Development Plan places priority on empowering women to reach their full development potential and its commitment in providing positive and innovative approaches to achieving, gender equality and to eliminating discrimination and violence against women, promoting gender-based violence prevention.
“The 2030 Agenda promised to make human rights real for everyone everywhere and to ‘leave no one behind’ which underpins the overall goals and plans of the Fijian Government,” she added.
Ms. Poole stated that violence against women has been recognized internationally as a major violation of a woman’s human rights and hinders economic and social development.
”The measuring costs of violence against women demonstrates how violence drains resources from many sectors including private businesses and agencies, the government, community groups and individuals”.
She said that in order to make development funding go farther, reducing rates of violence is an important component of social policy and demonstrating the waste of resources resulting from violence against women through estimating the economic costs of violence is therefore a useful exercise.
“If development is to be sustainable and to have a viable future, it must take account of the principle of gender equity and equality between men and women,” Ms. Poole commented.