Litia Cava 
[Source: Fiji Police/Facebook]
Principal Strategic Lead-Pacific Women Mereseini Rakuita has highlighted the persistent and severe issue of intimate partner violence or family violence, labelling it as one of the most serious and widespread human rights violations today.
Rakuita says that the Pacific region has the highest prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) globally, presenting a grave concern.
She states that statistics reveal that while one in three women worldwide experience some form of violence in their lifetime, the Pacific region reports a staggering figure of two in three women, twice the global average.
“Violence against women and girls costs the economy approximately $300 million per year. This is the cost of the impact of GBV—from the police, health services, judiciary, counselling and social services, lost productivity, etc. This is equivalent to 7% of Fiji’s GDP. This is why we say that family violence is not a private matter but that it is everybody’s business.”
Principal Strategic Lead-Pacific Women Mereseini Rakuita
Rakuita says this issue affects not only the victims but also various family members, communities, essential services such as the police, government productivity, and society as a whole due to the violence experienced within families.
[Source: Fiji Police/Facebook]
The workshop’s key focus is on mapping out strategies that would aid in addressing this dire situation, emphasizing the urgency of a collaborative approach to combating gender-based violence and creating a safer environment for all.
[Source: Fiji Police/Facebook]
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