Government has reaffirmed its position on the elimination of violence against women and children by officially signing a Commit Campaign initiative in conjunction with the UN Women.
In her official signing address, Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Jiko Luveni highlighted Fiji’s legislations that are in place and the priority for national commitment to end the series of violence against women and children.
“In response to the call by UN Women on governments to COMMIT to end violence against women and girls- Fiji today signs on knowing that it has the political will and commitment to addressing the root causes of violence in our homes and communities through the enactment of progressive legislation that guarantee and protect women’s human rights,” Minister Dr Luveni said.
Some of these decrees include the Domestic Violence Decree 2009, the Criminal Procedures Decree 2009
Crimes Decree 2009, Sentencing and Penalties Decree 2009, Child Welfare Decree 2010, and the Employment Relations Promulgation 2007.
Minister Dr Luveni said that these legislations are national commitments to strengthen multi-sectoral support and to realize that the root causes of violence are multi faceted.
“Fiji signs its commitment today as one of the 27 countries that are committing as I look forward to joining an even larger number of countries at the Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York next week to pledge our government’s support to eliminate violence against our wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunties, nieces and grand-daughters”, Dr Luveni said.
Elimination of Violence against Women (EVAW) Programme Specialist (UN Women), Melissa Alvarado congratulated Fiji on the national commitment and Fiji’s statement created around the Commit initiative.
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