Fiji records one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world.

Minister for Women and Children Sashi Kiran says that about 60 percent of women have faced some form of violence in their lives, and 64 percent of women with partners have experienced physical or sexual violence.

She adds that police data show girls aged 13 to 17 remain the most vulnerable to sexual violence.

From 2020 to 2024, a total of 4,159 child sexual offense cases were recorded nationwide, and 70 percent of these involved girls.

Kiran says that 70 percent of HIV/AIDS cases are men, mainly from injectable drug use, who then transmit the virus to their partners, leading to rising cases of mother-to-child transmission.

She adds that elderly women are increasingly becoming targets of violence.

In 2024 alone, 122 cases were reported among women aged 60 and above, almost double the number recorded in 2023.

“These realities expose a dark truth. The cycle of gender-based violence in Fiji spans generations, from our girls to our grandmothers. As a nation, we can no longer allow silence, stigma, or fear to shield perpetrators. Today, harm is no longer confined to physical spaces; it now crosses digital borders, amplified by technology, anonymity, speed, and reach. Women and girls face cyberbullying, non-consensual image sharing, digital stalking, hate speech, and fake online content.”

Kiran adds that gender-based violence costs Fiji an estimated seven percent of GDP, affecting families, health, productivity, and development, while many remain silent due to stigma, fear, and shame.

She says Fiji’s national action plan marks a historic move to prevent violence against women and girls, ensuring coordinated, survivor-focused, and high-quality services.

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