Fiji NAP: National Dialogue and Talanoa Progress Report December 2021

National Dialogue and Talanoa Progress Report | December 2021

National Dialogue and Talanoa Progress Report December 2021

Together we can build a new day The Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls (“NAP”) is a whole of government, whole of population, evidence-based, measurable, inclusive and costed five-year plan with an emphasis on stopping violence before it starts. Fiji is the first Pacific Island Country, and one of the only two countries globally along with Australia, to embark on such a process to prevent violence against women and girls.

Consultation summary as of December 1, 2021:

29 consultations In 7 out of 13 settings • • • •

The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation (MWCPA) leads the development of the NAP in partnership with a Secretariat compromised of MWCPA, the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and UN Women and a Technical Working Group composed of key civil society organisations and government ministries who provide strategic and technical oversight.

In November 2020, the NAP’s national dialogue and talanoa process was launched leading to a series of national consultations across 13 key settings in Fiji with the objective of seeking input from 2,500 diverse women, men and youth across Fiji’s four divisions. The national talanoa is designed to develop a prevention strategy for Fiji that is informed by society, while also increasing the knowledge and awareness on the root causes of violence against all women and girls.

Education Faith Informal Media

• • •

Sports Legal and Justice Workplaces and Corporations

Focused sessions with youth and people living with disabilities Across all 4 Division

including Beqa, Lau, Kadavu, Lautoka, Tavua and more!

3 Strategies

• • •

in-person consultations, virtual consultations and a national online survey

With 1,389 people consulted

including: • 66% female, 32% male, 2% identify with diverse sexual orientation and gender identity, 7% people living with disability • Almost 50% of participants are youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years

This progress report spotlights a handful of consulted key settings and the emergent strategies that Fijians across the country are identifying as ways forward to stop violence before it starts. For up to date information, visit www.fijipreventvawg.com.

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Education Setting

The Education setting includes anyone employed in schools, early childhood education, special schools, primary and secondary schools, and students. The education setting encompasses each level (early childhood, primary, secondary) and provides near universal reach to Fijian children and young people.

Led by the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts, to date 114 education staff and students, primarily in the Central, Northern and Western divisions have been reached via virtual consultations with a third consultation in the planning phase to reach parent teacher associations, school administrators and others.

participants recognised the impact of violence against children of all ages that can occur in the home, in the community and in schools. Violence against girls and boys can: stunt one’s learning; impact one’s focus on education and future prospects; and prevent participation in school or school-related activities, which are key for a child’s development.

Consultation participants enthusiastically noted that schools can be a place for positive social change where girls, boys, women and men are supported to live to their full potential. Examples of creating positive change include creating more spaces for girls to play sports or register in technical/science courses, Building a shared understanding of the root opportunities for women to be in senior level positions within school administrations and for boys to be causes of violence against all women and girls encouraged to study art, music and social sciences.

Emerging prevention strategies: A whole-of-school approach

Education virtual consultation with school students Consultation participants touched on the need for an overarching strategy that looks at the entire school system as an ecosystem that mutually reinforces itself on gender equality and zero tolerance for violence against women, girls and boys. Utilizing a holistic perspective, a whole-of-school approach includes: • Teacher training and development is a key strategy to ensure teachers are equipped in the areas of human rights, child protection/genderEducation setting virtual consultation graphic notes based violence, gender equality, positive discipline and effective classroom management. Inclusion Overwhelming consensus from consultation of modules on basic psychological first aid skills, participants acknowledged the pervasive nature of gender equality, ending VAWG and prevention of violence against women and girls in Fiji, which can sexual harassment modules and courses in teacher be inter-generational and cut across all aspects of the certification requirements/degrees can build these life cycle. As education professionals and students, skill sets.

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The NAP consultations have provided another platform for reaching out to students and teachers on how to address the issues of violence by working collaboratively with other stakeholders.

Rohitesh Chand |Team Leader| Executive Support Unit| Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts

• Promoting leadership roles for girls, including school government, sports and other platforms.

• Promoting leadership roles for women in school administration and decision-making positions.

• Developing and implementing age and gender appropriate curriculums that address the drivers of violence against women, girls and boys; focus on positive communication and healthy relationships; teach skills in communication and conflict resolution; build awareness on skills to support children and adolescents on consent, good touch versus bad touch, sexual health, pregnancy prevention, and how to seek help and support.

• Positive messaging and campaigning on gender equality, promoting positive social norms.

• Strengthening school policies that promote gender equality and safeguard students and staff against violence, sexual harassment and harm.

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• Strengthening existing support systems for students who are experiencing violence, harm or other distress by: o Building on existing protocols for child welfare including scenarios of violence against girls and boys; and o A dedicated and resourced counselling workforce with appropriate ratios of counsellors to students across school levels, infrastructure to implement counselling, and multi-sectoral coordination among Social Welfare, social services, health and other service providers • Investing in safe and inclusive school infrastructure efforts to ensure schools are an accessible and safe place for women, girls, people with disabilities and people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.

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Faith Setting The Faith setting includes individuals and communities from all denominations, including faith leaders and staff of religious bodies, such as Priests, Nuns, Talatalas, Pundits, Brahmans, Lay persons, congregations and others.

or patterns in place.” Religious teachings and texts can also be misinterpreted to justify a perpetrator of violence to continue the abuse.

In addition, participants noted how influential the church is to Pacific communities and families – that Faith consultations are ongoing and in planning for what is preached from the pulpit directly manifests all denominations. To date, efforts facilitated by the to life within the home. Words of faith leaders House of Sarah have reached 72 faith actors, leaders, and endorsement of the church as a safe place is and members of faith communities, including young important. In addition, a culture shift can occur when people, via virtual consultations and in-person society empowers women and girls to take leadership consultations in Ra, Lautoka, Tavua, Tailevu and Suva. positions in the home, churches, and communities and for men and boys to encourage their leadership.

Emerging prevention strategies: centering faith communities

Participants across all consultations agreed that places of worship and faith must be endorsed as “safe spaces” for women and children. This includes: • Looking inwards to the places we pray and practice faith to ensure they have and implement safe church policies that uphold codes of conduct, child safeguarding and zero tolerance Fiji NAP Faith consultation in Nanukuloa, Rakiraki for gender-based violence. The implementation of such policies would ultimately embed gender Building a shared understanding of the root equality and prevention of violence against women causes of violence against all women and girls and girls within faith structures.

Robust discussion has occurred across consultations to date in the faith setting on building a shared • Educating and supporting faith leaders to take understanding of violence against women and girls a strong stance on gender equality and ending in Fiji. The home is identified as a central location violence against women, girls and boys, including where harmful gender roles and violence is learned if it occurs in and is perpetuated by places of faith. as a behavior and then becomes normalized. Parents play a significant role in influencing their children.

• Practicing safety, confidentiality, respect and Participants shared that culture and society have used non-discrimination for all survivors of violence patriarchy to exert power and control over women, by ensuring faith leaders, members and faith “allowing such abusive practices to happen in trying organisations are trained, equipped and prepared to get women and children to conform to the norms to support a survivor of violence who discloses

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This is very historic and groundbreaking. The faith sector is a vital component in the fight since more than 90% of the population identified themselves as belonging to some faith according to the 2007 census figures, your participation is important to put together the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls.

Reverend Sereima Lomaloma Chair and trustee of the House of Sarah

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their experience and referring them for services.

• Invest in evidence-based, sustainable community awareness and mobilization programmes, including programmes for adolescents and youth, in faith settings to change hearts and minds in communities that violence against women and girls is unacceptable and intolerable.

• Build and strengthen inter-faith networks on ending violence against women and girls so

as to expand the impact of faith leaders across denominations speaking out together.

• Practice, encourage and resource gender equality theology with people of all ages and genders in church activities, after school programmes, youth groups and women’s fellowships.

• Facilitate the leadership of women and girls across all aspects of faith leadership.

Informal Sector Setting

The Informal setting includes those who may work primarily in the informal or self-employed economies including domestic workers, street vendors, market vendors, farmers and fishers, handicraft sellers, people who are self-employed, caregivers, people who work in the home and/or those who facilitate unpaid care work. The informal sector is disproportionately carried out by a female workforce who face greater risks of violence and harm due to a lack of legal protections, fewer chances to engage in social dialogue and less economic security and social protections. People who are at the intersections of multiple identities including people living with disabilities and people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity can be disproportionately represented in this setting as well.

of access to technology or mobile data. In-person consultations are in planning process again to ensure voices from this setting are heard.

In partnership with many partners, including Fiji Disabled People’s Federation and DIVA for Equality, 12 consultations have occurred with the informal setting, reaching 236 participants in Lau, Lautoka, Naitasiri and via virtual consultation. Due to the impact of COVID-19, virtual consultations were not feasible for many in the informal setting due to lack

In particular, participants shared that “violence and patriarchy has been normalized for too long. There needs to be a shift in patriarchal, heteronormative and masculinized beliefs built-into us while growing up” that cause harm, lead to violence and hurt communities. Ultimately, everyone needs to

Building a shared understanding of the root causes of violence against all women and girls

Across all consultations to date, participants from across Fiji acknowledged the pervasiveness of violence against women and girls from young to old age, to villages and settlements. More awareness and discussion on the issue of violence against women and girls was identified as a critical need; by talking about and unpacking the problem of violence, communities can then start to heal, and hearts and minds can change.

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I was really happy to be part of todays discussion. To hear other women’s stories and for them to hear out our issues of women living with disability.

I for one as a young women with disability would like to see more inclusive spaces like this where young women are included regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, their disability, where they come from, their religion or their race. It was quite humbling to be part of todays consultation programme.

Maraia | Informal Sector setting participant Lawaki Village, Lautoka

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be involved in stopping violence before it starts, • Female inheritance and asset ownership rights including young people, traditional and faith leaders, and policies that support women and girls’ government staff, women, and men. empowerment and security.

Survivor-centered access to services, especially legal and justice, for survivors of violence • Expansion of access to services that reach all Ending discrimination against people with women and girls – including young women, single disabilities and people of diverse sexual orientation mothers, working women / parents, women and and gender identity girls with disabilities and people of diverse sexual • Whole-of-society engagement in building orientation and gender identity – and in all areas awareness and facilitating acceptance amongst of Fiji, especially rural and maritime areas. communities

Emerging prevention strategies

• Building strong relationships and shared understanding in communities and villages across members and leaders to stop discrimination, stigma and violence towards people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity, including lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

• Resourcing and supporting people with disability and people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity-led networks, organisations and care communities.

Strengthening the economic safety net for all • Financial literacy, microfinance and savings programmes paired with gender-transformative interventions that meet the need for increased financial services and support to all women and girls as well as support equal power and decisionmaking within the home.

• Comprehensive labor force policies, including employment safeguarding policies, trainings and livelihood interventions that meet the needs of single mothers / parents, working mothers / families and communities in rural, maritime and urban areas.

• Required training and competencies for service providers to effectively serve women and girls with disabilities; and people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity including the lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

• A strengthened and trained female police force that is equipped and resourced to effectively action referrals, protection measures and Domestic Violence Restraining Orders with survivors of violence. While all members of the Fiji Police Force must have and practice these core requirements as per their mandate, a strengthened female police force is key to creating a safer space for survivors of violence to seek help.

• Accountability for perpetrators and protections for survivors in both the legal and justice sector and the traditional setting without reconciliation processes.

• Zero tolerance policies and action for discrimination against any survivor of violence regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, birthplace, marital status or any other factor.

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Strengthening health families and communities • Community-based mobilization and skillsbuilding programmes for families that center respectful relationships, positive parenting, unity, togetherness, safety, gender equality, shared responsibilities and shared decision-making within the home.

• Developing coordinated, gender-informed mechanisms between traditional and faith leaders to work hand-in-hand with women and girls at the grassroots level to promote safety, non-discrimination and prevention of violence in villages and settlements.

Sports Setting

Fiji NAP Sports consultation in Suva The Sports setting includes all sports institutions and spaces from community to professional levels, such as local and national sports clubs, institutions and associations. It also includes community tournaments, clubs and games as well as school-based tournaments and disability specific sporting activities, involving players, coaches, sporting officials and administrators.

Sport is an influential setting that has the power to promote gender equality and prevent violence against women and girls. At the heart of many communities, sport and leisure spaces bring together a diversity of people of all ages and background, thus carrying the promising potential to influence social change by fostering inclusive, safe and equitable environments for all.

with disabilities facing discrimination, violence, and barriers to safely participating in sport in their community. Participants also shared knowledge of knowing female friends, peers or others who faced resistance from family members and/or community members for their interest in playing sports. Beliefs that sport is a domain for men and boys, and not women and girls, is a significant hurdle and potential source of violence should women and girls engage in sport.

Participants shared an understanding of how gender inequality and harmful gender norms normalize beliefs that sports are for men and boys; women and girls are physical weak; and women and girls’ participation in sports transgresses the place that they have in society.

To date, one large summit/consultation has occurred This reflection is encouraging as it shows the nuanced for the sports setting, reaching 107 participants understanding of how these attitudes can be used as a through a National Sporting convention. Additional justification for violence. consultations are in the planning process with sports bodies such as FASANOC and specific sporting codes. Emerging prevention strategies: a national

strategy to challenge and transform harmful Building a shared understanding of the root social norms that promote gender inequality causes of violence against all women and girls and gender-based violence Participants in the sports consultation shared many • Leveraging the mandate and influence of Fiji’s personal experiences of women, girls, people of diverse national sporting bodies and the Ministry of sexual orientation and gender identity and people 7 www.fijipreventvawg.com

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Youth and Sports to forward a strategy across all sporting codes that increases awareness of the importance of women in sport; forwards the understanding that violence against women and girls in sport is unacceptable; and promotes women and girls’ safe access to recreational and competition sports.

• High impact advocacy and social norm change campaigns that permeate all aspects of society from grassroots communities to high performance sport decision-makers on the need for sport to be a role model and champion for gender equality.

A proactive approach can promote the benefits of women and girls’ participation in sport and dispel myths.

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• Establish and improve safeguarding, code of conduct policies and reporting mechanisms: Participants were enthusiastic about implementing mechanisms that establish an internal protocol and accountability mechanism for confidential reporting, perpetrator accountability regardless of position or status and safeguards and value women and girls as athletes and human beings.

• Improved sporting infrastructure: Participants highlighted that often sporting venues and training grounds are not appropriate for women, people with diverse gender identity or those with a disability and suggested that safety could be enhanced by mitigating some of these risks.

I have always been an advocate of equality and equity in the sporting arena. I think that needs to move outside of the sporting arena where it becomes part and parcel of what one does everyday. So it’s not only about equality it’s also about equity too. And this consultation today we had all the national federations inhouse in the room today so you didn’t only hear from the senior executives, you didn’t only hear from the board members. And the good thing today is you got the voice of all the sporting people.

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Cathy Wong | Physiotherapist & Womens advocate in sports Member of World Rugby Council, Oceania Rugby and Fiji Sports Commision Recommendations include ensuring separate bathrooms and changing rooms; better lighting around facilities; maintained fields/pitches; and adequate training gear with transportation support to training venues.

• Ensure gender parity and women’s leadership across Fiji’s sporting infrastructure with more women in coaching/officiating/management roles, investment in female athletes and national teams, and equal access to grassroots and recreational sporting spaces for all.

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Emerging strategies: Workplaces and Corporations Setting To kick off the workplace and corporation setting, staff from the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation’s Northern Division participated in a consultation during the 2021 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls. As staff members of the Fiji Government, their insights are critical in ensuring the NAP takes into considerations the needs of all workplaces from the public to private sector.

Honorable Minister Akbar spoke at the consultation and girls in every aspect of our society, from and stressed the need to embed change and raise informal and formal education to workplaces and awareness on the issue of violence against women beyond.

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Violence against women and girls is not unique to our country. It is a fundamental global problem of gender inequality. We need to promote basic human rights values and respect... as long as there is an imbalance of power [between men and women], we will have violence against women and girls.”

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Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Honorable Rosy Akbar

Youth The Fiji NAP specifically held a consultation with youth who are a key constituency in Fiji and crosscut a wide range of settings and spaces in Fiji’s society, including schools, youth clubs and centers, voluntary youth organizations, youth counselling, outreach projects, youth cafes and art groups, to name a few.

Young people in Fiji are critical to preventing violence against women and girls and changing hearts and minds. Global evidence demonstrates that violence prevention strategies with children, adolescents and young adults works1. Prevention initiatives can empower young people to establish respectful and

1 UN Women and Social Development Direct (2020) Transformed Attitudes, Beliefs and Norms, RESPECT: Preventing Violence against Women Strategy Summary.

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Youth spaces are needed for “young men and boys to be feminists in our communities, stand up for women’s rights, disability rights and the rights of LGBTQI+ people.”

Youth Participant | Fiji NAP Youth Consultation Suva

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to hear, the feedback was a resounding affirmation of the need for more dialogues on these topics. This sentiment shows the strong need for further awareness raising and community engagement.

Emerging prevention strategies for young people

• Participants recommend the need to thoroughly engage community leaders, families, church, sports settings, health providers and social services to address violence against women and girls for young people – thus validating the need for a whole-ofsociety approach. Youth are uniquely positioned equal intimate partner relationships, advocate for across many facets of society and highlighted gender equality and non-violence in their day-tothe need to promote respectful relationships in a day lives, and model gender equality attitudes and holistic manner across the whole community. behaviours in their families and amongst peers.

Building a shared understanding of the root causes of violence against all women and girls

Six consultations with youth have occurred in person in Beqa and Suva, including a national youth summit, reaching 345 individuals, primarily in the central division. These consultations sought to build an ageappropriate understanding with young people of the root causes of violence against women and girls. Many participants portrayed an existing understanding of gender equality concepts as well as desire to prevent violence against women and girls in their communities.

• A recurring theme in the youth consultation was the interest and need for more life skills curriculums for in-and out-of school young people. By incorporating or strengthening gender equality content and violence against women and girls in life skills and school curriculums, youth and children may be better equipped to manager anger, resolve conflict and develop the necessary social skills to solve problems, addressing peer and relationship violence among adolescents both in school and out-of-school settings. Life skills programs can provide adolescent girls with mentoring and capacity strengthening opportunities.

In some consultations, a mixed group of young people and adults, predominately men over the age of 35 were present together. In these consultations, young • Young participants enthusiastically called for a centering of youth agency and empowerment people notably contributed less, due to existing social efforts that allow for age, gender and disability hierarchies. Some adults expressed views that women specific spaces to learn about their rights, build an may cause violence or violence may be justified if intersectional analysis around identity, learn how women and girls are not dressed properly or do not to better advocate for a range of social issues and complete their household duties. Young people later develop their knowledge. A participant shared that shared with the facilitation teams that this was the first these spaces are needed for “young men and boys time an open and safe dialogue on gender and violence to be feminists in our communities, stand up for occurred in their communities. While some felt that women’s rights, disability rights and the rights of the consultation was difficult and comments that LGBTQI+ people”. justified violence and promoted patriarchy were hard 10 www.fijipreventvawg.com

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National Online Survey The online national survey was launched in May 2021 as a strategy to reach more people across Fiji and enhance public participation in the national consultations. As of 1 December, 2021, 370 people have completed the survey, the majority of respondents are female at 77%, 25% male and 2% identify as someone with diverse gender identity. 6% of respondents identified as a person with a disability. The majority of respondents are from the Central division 70%, followed by the Western division 20%, the Northern division 6% and the Eastern division at 5%.

Building a shared understanding of the root causes of violence against all women and girls

370 people

77% Female

21% Male

2%

Diverse Identity

2.

What do you think is needed to change the attitudes and beliefs in your family or community in order to achieve gender equality and prevent violence against women and girls?

There were many well considered responses to this question, often involving sport and faith as key community arenas for preventing violence and promoting gender equality. Responses included the need for increased access to key services such as counselling and legal advice. Survey respondents also emphasized the need to fund grassroots and women’s rights organizations in order to change hearts and minds at the community level. A lot of responses include the importance of encouraging girls to reach for their dreams, influence media to portray more gender equality and end the culture of silence.

Survey responses were overwhelmingly positive in relation to participants’ understanding of what causes violence against women and girls. For example, 97% of participants agree that men and women should be valued equally in society, similarly 90% of participants agree that it is always unacceptable for men to use violence against women and girls. Furthermore 94% of participants agree that violence against women and girls is preventable, demonstrating a strong desire amongst respondents to achieve gender equality and 3.

What do you think is needed to change the prevent violence against women and girls. attitudes and beliefs in your workplace in order These findings are very encouraging because they to achieve gender equality and prevent violence point to an increased openness, willingness and against women and girls? understanding that we need to root out gender inequality and stop violence before it starts. These trends, while only showcasing a small segment of Fiji’s population that can access an online survey in English, indicate that there is appetite and motivation in society to imagine what Fiji would look like without violence.

The final narrative question also garnered many well considered responses, which included calls for more women in leadership, equal pay and employment opportunities, the need for a more supportive work environment for mother’s or those with family care responsibilities. Respondents also suggested the importance of having workplace policies that prevent Emerging prevention strategies discrimination, codes of conduct and reporting The survey asked participants to respond to three mechanisms for sexual harassment and other forms questions regarding strategies to prevent VAWG, of abuse that may occur in the workplace. Combatting these include: harmful gender stereotypes of women’s sphere being in the home and not in workplace leadership positions 1.

What do you think is your individual role was also acknowledge in the responses. Respondents and responsibility to achieve gender equality and noted the importance of women as competent, skilled prevent violence against women and girls in Fiji? and needed leaders in all jobs and workplaces.

The majority of responses were positive and included responses such as teaching children about respect and consent, to avoid gender stereotypes, be a good role model, to report violence when it is witnessed and to speak out against discrimination of diverse people, for example.

Visit www.fijipreventvawg.com or scan the QR Code to take the online survey.

We appreciate your assistance and commitment in helping prevent violence against all women and girls in Fiji. Vinaka!

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Challenges and Lessons Learned Navigating the second wave of COVID-19 in Fiji

Critical role of civil society partners and whole-of-government engagement

Strengthening documentation of participant voices Ensuring inclusivity and accessibility

Fiji is the second country globally, and the first in the Pacific region, to embark on a comprehensive national prevention policy to stop violence against women and girls. The consultation process in and of itself is designed to be an intervention that raises awareness on violence against women and girls in order to build a shared and collective understanding on the problem so we can develop the solutions.

Challenges and lessons learned include: 1. Navigating the second wave of COVID-19 in Fiji: Due to the second wave of COVID-19 from April 2021 to the present, the NAP consultation process was pushed to adapt to an environment where in-person dialogues were no longer possible.

Furthermore, key agencies from the Secretariat and Technical Working Group had to prioritize the response to COVID-19 with delivery of life-saving services to survivors of violence, of violence and responding to the public health crisis.

While Virtual consultations, including adapting the consultation methodology, and the National Online Survey were one adaptation made for the COVID-19 period. While virtual consultations have helped in continuing this dialogue by reaching people across the country in a more rapid manner, virtual consultations have also excluded others who do not have access to technology/mobile data or who are not able to participate virtually.

It was anticipated that the NAP would be developed and launched by December 2021. Due to COVID-19 and the national need to focus attention on responding to this public health crisis, NAP consultation efforts slowed, despite the adaptations. Moving forward, a combination of in-person and virtual consultations are planned to complete the consultation process.

2.

Critical role of civil society partners and whole-of-government engagement: Core to the consultation process has been the strong

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partnership and commitment among government and civil society partners to forge forward the NAP in Fiji. The NAP consultations, including their design, facilitation and collation of participant perspectives, could not be possible without the expertise, time and contributions of Technical Working Group members. Furthermore, the technical oversight and collective decision-making provided by the Technical Working Group and Secretariat is instrumental in stewarding the NAP. The engagement of civil society and government partners in the first period of consultations, namely the Ministry for Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts, DIVA for Equality, House of Sarah, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation has been critical in moving forward the NAP consultations, building a shared understanding of VAWG and identifying prevention strategies that are effective.

3. Ensuring inclusivity and accessibility: A core value of the NAP process is inclusion of all in Fiji.

This value includes how the NAP consultations are implemented and who has access to sharing their voice and their perspective. Partnership with Technical Working Group members on the needs of the communities and constituencies they represent has been key in assessing any barriers to participation or accessibility.

to contribute to the national talanoa.

An ongoing challenge and area for further consideration is building in resources to sufficiently translate a core set of materials into iTaukei and Hindi. Translation of this core set of materials and information will increase accessibility and inclusion. Efforts are currently underway to translate this core set of materials.

4.

Strengthening documentation of participant voices: During the first round of consultations, documentation and analysis strategies were trialed. It became apparent that consultation documentation and analysis needed adaptation and strengthening in order to accurately capture participant inputs to inform the NAP. In response, adaptation were made to the documentation and analysis process including development of a Guidebook on Consultation Facilitation with annexes of the global evidence-base for many of the 13 settings included in the NAP; aligning the documentation tools with the global evidence of what works to prevent violence against women and girls in each setting; allocation of a minimum of two rapporteurs per consultation to ensure documentation of participant voices in a consistent, accurate, timely and succinct manner.

As a result, analysis and documentation processes are more streamlined and of quality to ultimately inform Fiji’s NAP.

Especially for online engagement during COVID-19, measures have been taken to design the National Online Survey to be compatible with a screen reader; efforts were made to provide mobile data top ups to participants who needed the support in virtual consultations; and some consultations have occurred as a “closed” consultation with groups of people who experiencing marginalisation and discrimination, thus creating a more safe and private way for them

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Way Forward Looking ahead, the Secretariat and Technical Working Group seek to launch the NAP as Fiji’s prevention policy in mid-2022. The launch of the NAP is then the beginning of a five-year implementation period of efforts to stop violence before it starts.

Consultations

Consultations, both in-person and virtual, are moving at rapid pace and set to be completed by March 2022. The current consultation effort has reached 56% of its intended target of dialoguing with 2,500 Fijians.

Consultations are underway or completed for the aforementioned seven settings in this report: Education; Universities, technical and vocational colleges; Workplaces and corporations; Sports and recreation spaces; Faith-based contexts; Media, advertising and entertainment; Informal Sector.

Planning efforts have commenced to engage the remaining six settings with some consultations in these settings to start in December: Arts; Health and social services; Public spaces, transport and infrastructure; Legal, justice and corrections; Disciplined forces including military and humanitarian personnel; Traditional institutions and entities.

Policy development and implementation

In concurrence with the consultations, an iterative drafting and development of the NAP will take place in the first half of 2022. The Technical Working Group and Secretariat members will work closely to review the consultation findings, identify key strategies for prevention across the 13 settings and then validate a national policy that is measurable, costed and evidence-based.

During the policy development process, dialogues will take place among partners to develop the roadmap for implementation of the NAP, including how to roll out the NAP across the settings, piloting strategies and layering strategic approaches over the five-year period for measurable impact.

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Who is leading the work?

The Fiji NAP is led by a Secretariat and a Technical Working Group.

Secretariat members include the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and UN Women as technical support to the Fiji Government.

The Technical Working Group is composed of diverse civil society and government stakeholders listed below. Of the Technical Working Group members, Lead Facilitation Agencies for the consultation process include DIVA for Equality, House of Sarah and the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement. Technical Working Group members: Ministry of Education, Heritage & Arts, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Youth and Sports, iTaukei Affairs, Ministry of Employment, Medical Services Pacific, Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, DIVA for Equality, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Empower Pacific, House of Sarah, Haus of Khameleon, Fiji Red Cross Society and Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation.

Fiji NAP TWG members

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Experiencing Violence?

YOU CAN CALL

1560

National Domestic Violence 24-Hour toll-free Helpline

1325

Child Helpline Fiji 24-Hour toll-free Helpline

Together we can advance a future where all women and girls live free from violence, where women and girls are not only safe, but respected, valued and treated as equals in public and private life.

Violence is preventable.

It’s our responsibility as a country and as individuals, to stop violence before it starts.

To learn more about the Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls visit www.fijipreventvawg.com Follow the #FijiNAP journey on the MWCPA social media channels @MWCPAFIJI @MWCPA_Fiji #FijiNAP #PreventionIsPossible

This initiative is supported by the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (Pacific Partnership), primarily funded by the European Union and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand and UN Women.

16 www.fijipreventvawg.com