Counsellors will now be guided by the newly launched gender based violence counsellor training package.

The package has a gender-based counselling curriculum that will strengthen the counseling workforce.

Fiji Women’s Crisis Center Coordinator, Shamima Ali, says the package is specifically for those counsellors who specialize in dealing with domestic violence, rape, child rape, sexual harassment and other issues affecting young girls and women.

Ali adds there is a need for a uniform and consistent approach to counselor training in the region.

“Now the new counselors will get the full package and this is the one that will be used for anyone who wants to do counseling and also the experienced counselors who have been doing this work for decades.”

The roll out of this package is supported by FWCC, UN Women, the Australian and the New Zealand governments.