The continued advocacy and awareness programs on building violence free communities in Fiji has enabled people to come out and report cases of domestic violence and child welfare to the police and relevant authorities.
While speaking at the 25th triennial Pan Pacific South East Women’s Association (PPSEAWA) Conference at Novotel, Lami the Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni delivered a key note address on the sub-theme, “Managing the Home Environment for a Peaceful & Balanced Family Existence”.
Explaining the impacts of her ministry’s Zero Tolerance Violence Free Communities Campaign (ZTVFC) Dr Luveni said due to consistent awareness programs at community level, people had started to come out and report the domestic violence and child related cases.
“Through the networking with the communities, there is continued awareness and discussions on these issues and it’s no longer treated a private matter,” Dr Luveni said.
“During the community awareness program, people have received information about Domestic Violence Decree, providing greater protection to the victims of domestic violence who are generally women and likewise it explains the mandatory reporting by the professionals dealing with children under the Child Welfare Decree.
“There has been an increase in reporting of cases to relevant authorities like the police and also Department of Social Welfare. The issues of domestic violence and child welfare have been brought to the forefront and we have the gatekeepers committee that also plays a proactive role in ensuring cases are reported and assistance is available to the victims of domestic violence.”
Dr Luveni said that the awareness programs continued for six to eight months and for some communities it took one year to prepare them for the declaration phase of the violence free program.
“One of the key success of this campaign is the male support, particularly those of the male leaders who take ownership of this campaign,” Minister Luveni said.
“There is closer networking between the government agencies, community policing, health, social welfare, i-Taukei affairs, agriculture and some Non-Government Organisations like Empower Pacific that work together to take the awareness out to the rural and maritime villages.
“The campaign challenges the people and their beliefs. It encourages the communities to value women and children and respect them.”
The minister’s underlying message relative to the family and home management has been, “the family remains the essential ingredient in shaping our lives and the international cooperation on family matters is crucial. We need the support of all those who care, to follow a vigorous plan of action that ensures strengthening families in a non-threatening home environment is a viable perspective for a peaceful and balanced family existence”.
She said building peaceful families was one the key themes inculcated into community awareness programs implemented through the Zero Tolerance Violence Free Community Campaign (ZTVFC) and currently there are more than 60 communities that have joined this campaign.
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