Fiji has a fifty percent shortage of contraception for women.

This was highlighted during discussions on women’s bodily autonomy and sexual reproductive health and rights in a feminist forum in Suva.

Feminists and activists gathered at the Diverse Voices and Action better known as DIVA for Equality action day forum yesterday.

DIVA for Equality Convener Noelene Nabulivou says discussions also focused on universal human rights, bodily autonomy, and ending violence against women and girls and gender-diverse people.

Nabulivou says if we have a fifty percent unmet need this poses a big challenge.

“If women aren’t able to get those contraceptives whether they’re condoms, whether there pills, then that’s telling us that they’re finding it very difficult to negotiate in their personal relationships. Every woman as we just heard in that panel should be able to walk into a place either a public health center or any of the organizations and say this is my body and I have to have this assistance that we’ve worked for decades to make sure that women have.”

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicked off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day which was marked today in Suva by stakeholders.