Fiji Women’s Crisis Center coordinator, Shamima Ali, says with the intensity of disasters increasing in the Pacific region, the risk of gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) for women and children is also increasing.

Ali was speaking at the workshop that aims to share knowledge and identify solutions to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in emergencies.

Key representatives from government ministries and civil society organizations across Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa are attending the workshop.

The inaugural regional workshop aims to improve the understanding of GBViE; highlight gaps and needs; adapt to available services; clarify roles and responsibilities, reduce the overall risk of GBViE and enhance coordination and information sharing.

Ali says FWCC is working towards the elimination of violence against women in Fiji and the Pacific region and provides 24-hour counselling and emergency support; community education to raise awareness on violence against women as a human rights violation; and male advocacy to change engrained attitudes which promote and perpetuate gender inequality.

She says we cannot treat violence against women as a health issue, nor as a women’s issue alone – gender inequality is the main issue.

Ali says it takes time to change mindsets and its hard work, but they are putting ending violence against women on everybody’s agenda.