DR JOSEFA KOROIVUETA
PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL WELFARE, WOMEN AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION



WEDNESDAY 27th NOVEMBER, 2013
VODAFONE ARENA, SUVA.


THEME: I AM MY SISTER’S KEEPER

The stories from survivors of human trafficking are so touching and heartbreaking to relate to humanity the deranged course of a human being towards God’s own creation.

” However, within the depths of this hell I was experiencing, my will to survive was the fire which kept alive my vision of exposing trafficking to the public. Fearing the possibility of being kidnapped and returned to camp of trafficking, I began to seek refuge in churches, seeking their assistance in my quest for deliverance and freedom”.

Ms Renay West, Conference Guest Speaker and Founder of Healing Waters Ministry,

The President CMF in Fiji, Rev Suliasi Kurulo,
The President of the AOG Women’s Ministry,
Invited Guests, Organisers, Women of the Church
Ladies and Gentleman.

A very warm and good evening to you all.

At the outset, I wish to express how privileged I am to be here this evening to officiate on behalf of my Minister who is on official mission abroad.

More thrilling is to be in an important meeting of women of faith on a very important theme that connects governments, churches, NGO, CBO and societies at large.

It is a topic for today and a theme that mandates partnerships for awareness, functional detection or intelligent systems, and for good response systems.

Section 10 of our constitution of Fiji guarantees freedom of every citizen from slavery, forced labor and human trafficking. Our laws have very prescribed severe penalties for offences to this effect. Fiji’s Goodwill Ambassador for Women, Madam Shameem will truly share with you on Gender and the Law.

There are cases of human trafficking in Fiji that has been detected through great work of our Immigration Department and the Fiji Police Force and has been dealt with our law. Today paves a new awakening when we can unitedly break the silence or for that matter the naiveness on human trafficking.

Human Trafficking has made high level discussions and resolutions worldwide. Fiji is a signatory to the Traffic in Persons Protocol and the Crimes Decree specifically addresses Trafficking of Women and Children. Victims are trafficked around the world for sexual exploitation, forced labour, begging, petty crimes, removal of organs and for other exploitative purposes.

Trafficking in persons is a truly global phenomenon: between 2007 and 2010, victims from at least 136 countries were detected in 118 countries worldwide. Because of this diffusion as well as the hidden nature of trafficking crimes, it is difficult to estimate the size of the problem.

Victims of human trafficking are mostly women and children.
Our Ministry saw the importance for the conference and that it relates to protection of women, girls and children. I acknowledge the good leadership in the AOG Women’s Ministry, not only as an established partner NGO to the Fiji Women Federation of our Ministry but more so to congregate us here today on human trafficking.

Often we have been criticized as why no Ministry for Men and why just women we deal with. May I refer you all to an old slogan whose origin is uncertain “behind every great man stands a woman”.

In the Texas newspaper The Port Arthur News, from February 1946. This was headed - "Meryll Frost - 'Most courageous athlete of 1945'":
"As he received his trophy, the plucky quarterback unfolded the story of how he 'came back'. He said 'They say behind every great man there's a woman. While I'm not a great man, there's a great woman behind me.'"

Genesis 1:27 New International Version (NIV) So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

The aim of this conference is to open up discussions and learn from other countries experience on how we can help rehabilitate women and children who are or have been victims of human trafficking, sexual abuse and also specifically, child sexual abuse.

The true measure of human trafficking in Fiji will be supported by conventions such as today. There are many reasons given by researchers and academics to explain why trafficking happens. The heart of it is exploitation.

Poverty is always cited as a main driver of human trafficking and especially, a major driver for workers in the sex trade. It through our partnerships that roots to human trafficking are uprooted. Women have the power to make the difference in a family and a community. A country cannot progress or achieve national development without developing the important “agents of change” and these are its women.

Two powerful domains in a person’s life is the family and the religion. In these environments the belief systems of the person are built. Failure to gate keep within these 2 institutions, provides a new gate for people to resort to satisfy their quest for development and being cared for.

For centuries women have rallied their voices to be treated with equal dignity as men, to live lives free of violence and abuse. To be given equal opportunities and recognition and that power relations needs to be improved must emphasize here that women are foundation of our families and communities.

The theme: “I am my Sister’s Keeper” is thought provoking as one looks at the rate of abuse against women and girls being reported in the media daily not only locally but, regionally and internationally as well. How can women keep each other safe when it is the men who are perpetrating the violence?

Fifteen years ago, in 1995, Hilary Clinton, then First Lady of the United States, told a UN World Conference that
“we are [now] learning that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations will flourish.”
The Ministry has a flagship programme popularly known as the Zero Tolerance Violence Free Community Programme. The strength of this programme is the community ownership and the leadership of the men, the turaga ni koro and the talatala in the communities and villages and in the non-I-Taukei communities, it’s been the leadership by the male religious leaders, the headmen in the settlements. Men also need to take responsibility for the violence perpetrated against women and stand together to tell other men that it is not right- morally and legally.

Respecting the right of each and every human being to a life of dignity, without violence, without discrimination and stigmatisation is critical to a nation’s socio-economic development.
Changing belief systems to address gender is the way forward to battle human trafficking, violence against women, girls and children. Gender should be a mandate in the church too given the powerful impact it can have on the youths, parents, leaders and the community at large.

Our partnering mandates will break the silence on human trafficking. It will help Fiji address gender in youths, prepare parents to be for family life and assist in our quest for total opposition to human trafficking.

I have great pleasure in officially declaring this conference officially opened.

Thank you, Vinaka Vakalevu, Dhanybaard and may the Good Lord richly bless the fellowship.


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