Activist: Event Celebrates Life Of Women

Men join women and children in ‘Reclaim the Night march in Suva.

Celebrating International Women’s Day is a celebration about women’s lives, says a women’s activist. Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre research officer Mashnil Shinoy said the ‘Reclaim the Night’ march staged on Thursday marked a time for women to reflect on what had been done in terms of women’s human right policy and legislation in terms of women’s, children’s rights and any other minority’s rights.

“It was time to basically look and celebrate women’s life,” Ms Shinoy said.

Hundreds, including men and children joined the march that started at 6.30pm from the Suva Flee Market to Parliament House.

She said it was about reclaiming all spaces-homes, streets, schools and work places that women and children do not go through. “This is for showing people about the change and a good change,” she said.

“Men were here and all the stakeholders were here so that we could move together and try to eliminate the violence.”

Sophie Radrodro, project coordinator of Strumphet Alliance Network Fiji, said that they want women’s voices to be heard more. “International Women’s Day was celebrated to be the gift of being women,” Ms Radrodro said. The march was organised by the Women’s Crisis Centre the organisation who looked after women she said.

Men were here and all the stake holders were here so that we could move together and try to eliminate the violence. Mashnil Shinoy Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre research officer