Silence is no longer acceptable when dealing with the rising number of cases of child abuse, discrimination and violence against women.

Ekta Hindu Samaj President Rajan Murti highlighted this at the Hindu Faith Based Organisations Forum on Human Rights Education and Response in Suva today.

The Samaj with the support of the Australian Government has initiated a project targeting members of Hindu communities to raise their awareness on women’s and children’s rights.

Murti says often when Human Rights is discussed people see it as a foreign concept but forget that the religion also speaks of humanity, dignity and respect.

Minister for Women and Poverty Alleviation Rosy Akbar says violence against women and children is a serious issue and it needs to be stopped.

“We cannot forget that domestic violence affects all families and the effect of this is felt on all families and children are also considered to be the vulnerable in the society and we cannot forget that we have homes that continue to have that cycle of violence. It is very difficult to break the cycle of violence.’’

Violence against women affects close to 35 percent of women around the world, 68 percent in the Pacific while 64 percent women alone in Fiji.