Physical, sexual violence against women, girls

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Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa speaking at the launch of the national action plan on the prevention of violence of Women and Girls. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA/FT FILE

TWO in three women and girls in Fiji will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, making Fiji the second highest in the world in terms of prevalence of abuse, says the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The stats, which appeared in an UNDP e-article, stated 64.1 per cent of women and girls would be subjected to physical and sexual violence at some point in their lives.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa said the statistics were one she often used in public forums and it had also been the basis for the extensive work her team was doing to try to address the issue.

“Violence against women and girls is rooted in gender-based discrimination and social norms and gender stereotypes that perpetuate such violence,” she said.

“Reporting, though not the sole indicator of an increase or decrease, is indeed a very important factor in assessing the situation.

“The statistics mentioned are from nearly a decade ago and has been a very powerful tool in informing the introduction and implementation of various initiatives and programs aimed at addressing gender-based violence in Fiji since the release of the report. As a woman it is my hope that the number is due to reporting rather than on the incidents itself. “Surveys and statistics will be the best judge of this.”

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