BSP’s fight against sexual and gender-based violence
Bank staff have been wearing black outfits to work as their way of standing in solidarity with women around the world who face various forms of violence.
For the past few weeks, staff of one of the country’s largest banks, BSP, have been wearing black outfits to work.
This is not a fashion statement. This is their way of standing in solidarity with women around the world who face various forms of violence.
The “Wear Black on Thursday” is a public display of their position against all forms of violence and to stand in solidarity as part of a global movement resisting attitudes and practices that permit rape and violence.
The BSP Group chief executive officer, Robin Fleming, has described the Pacific-wide demonstration as critical.
“We must support initiatives and dialogue that promote human rights and justice for the victims of Family and Sexual Violence (FSV) and Gender Based Violence (GSV). “We are a family in BSP and as family members, community members, church members and leaders in our industry, in our professional and personal capacity, we must take a strong stand against all forms of violence.”
In Fiji, BSP staff have committed to wearing black every Thursday in July as an awareness and educational campaign to show our dissent to violence, especially towards women and children.
BSP Fiji Country Head, Haroon Ali, said: “We are proud to stand together with our comrades across the Pacific as a united voice supporting a noble cause.”
The Bank is advocating a change in mind-set to represent resistance and resilience.
“We invite everyone to join us and show respect for these survivors and honour the lives of those ended prematurely as a result of FSV and GSV in communities by wearing black for the next three Thursdays,” he encouraged.
BSP’s #BlackThursday campaign symbolises the bank’s long standing commitment to people and vanua.
To join in, supporters can take photos of participating in this #BlackThursday campaign in July and post it on BSP’s Facebook page or join the BSP conversation on
Twitter.
When a leading commercial bank stands in solidarity with women and make public show supporting women, it is a positive step, and more companies need to take a similar stand. Domestic violence, instances of rape and assault are not uncommon in Fiji.
Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre often shares alarming statistics regarding this. This move by BSP is indeed praiseworthy but more should be done by more organisations.