Waqainabete: Men Must Take Responsibility, Change Attitudes and Behaviours
To end violence against women and girls we must engage men and boys, especially in the private and faith-based sectors. The call was made by the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Iferemi Waqainabete during the Pacific Regional Dialogue on Engaging Men in the Prevention
of Violence against Women at the Warwick Resort at the Coral Coast in Sigatoka yesterday.
The minister said stopping violence against women and girls was possible where men needed to help drive forward changes to end violence.
“Almost all perpetrators of domestic violence are men so they need to take responsibility and change attitudes and behaviours,” the Health Minister said.
“Men need to be engaged as allies and advocates speaking out when they see violence, or hear sexist remarks.”
Mr Waqainabete also said improving the safety of homes and children is by working together, which means engaging women and men to end gender-based violence.
“We must focus on transformation. Of central importance to that transformation is engaging men,” he said.
“To have men and women working together to end the violence. To ensure we have safe homes and societies where women and girls are seen as equally valued and worthy as men and boys.
“Fiji, like many Pacific countries represented here today has also ratified various international instruments that support the goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment, preventing discrimination and seeking to end violence against women and girls.
“These include, but are not limited to, the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action,” Minister Waqainabete added.