To address the increasing cases of gender-based violence during COVID-19, companies will be undergoing training.

The training will be done by the International Finance Corporation.

An IFC survey last year found two-thirds of businesses believe domestic and sexual violence cases have increased due to the pandemic.

The training is targeted at professionals in human resources and business consulting services.

IFC Resident Representative for Fiji, Deva De Silva, says while many cases of gender-based violence go unreported, there are indications of a significant increase since the onset of COVID-19.

De Silva adds there were 527 calls to the national domestic violence helpline in April last year, a significant rise from 87 calls in February and 187 calls in March of the same year.

IFC says even before the outbreak of COVID-19, gender-based violence affected two in three women in Fiji.

The first training will take place in Suva from April 12.