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Access to Justice for Women of All Diversity at All Times

By Carolyn Kitione Vani Tuvuki, President of the Koronubu Women’s
Fellowship.
“When we talk about safety and security, we need Tuvuki was speaking during femLINKpacific’s
to ask the people, the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, October Women’s Human Security First district
transgender], people with disability themselves, consultation in Ba, which was attended by 10 rural
what does it mean to them,” said Bonita Qio of women leaders.
the Lautoka-based Pacific Rainbows Advocacy Tuvuki, who is a regular contributor to
Network. femTALK89FM, says that there is a need to
Qio was featured along with twenty –one (21) support women when it comes to women in
members of the Rural Women Leaders Community leadership and in decision-making.
Media Network (RWLCMN) in a new season Sharing her surprise at learning that there were
of Radio with Pictures produced during the no women in the Advisory Council in Ba, Tuvuki
September National Consultations supported by says women must be present at the formal spaces
The Fiji Women’s Fund project, ‘Rural Women in communal structures including as Marama-ni-
Leaders Community Media Network : Community koro.
Radio and Disability Rights’. “If we want to be empowered as women leaders,
According to the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre there are so many challenges that we also go
[FWCC] national research on women’s health and through,” she reflected. “I was so surprised to see
life experiences in Fiji (2010/2011), 64% of women there’s no woman sitting in the Advisory Council
in Fiji experience physical and/or sexual intimate in the Ba district.”
partner violence in their lifetime. “When they mention about turaga-ni-koro they
At times of disaster, it is vital that safety and know only males(s) take those place. Why can’t
protection with dignity measures particularly for there be females as marama-ni-koros?”
women with disability and the LGBT community explains Qio: Sainiana Tinai of the Ba Hart Women’s Club reiterated this point, adding that
“There have been incidents that happened in the evacuation centres – sexual it’s not just women who need to be empowered as leaders in the community:
assault, abuse; all of these and they were not reported during the incidents.” “If you look at empowerment, we need to empower women, we need to empower
“Because during times of crisis like these, the police officers they are not in the children, we need to empower young [people] and we need to empower [people
police station, they are out in the field. So when cases like these come up, there living with disability].”
is no system in place where we can lodge our complaints, where we can get
these perpetrators and get these people to task.” Tinai also said that when it comes to decision-making for persons with disability,
it was important that they were included in the process directly.
Protection with Dignity also means women must have access to legal services. “Most of the time only the men are being used most of the time in disaster - they
This is one of the reasons why the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) are the ones working on disaster preparedness plans,” said Tinai.
conducted a research survey in 2017 to gauge how judicial services could work
better for Fijian women. She said there is a need to include the diverse needs of the community in these
processes and this means having representatives from the disability network
FWRM found that the women (49) surveyed had “experienced violence for an included in these discussions as well.
average of 868 days before they went to the police or courts to resolve these
issues.” Fane Boseiwaqa, femLINKpacific’s convenor for the Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki
districts also addressed the lack of recognition of the role that women play in
One of the reasons women remain in violent relationships is economic, their communities;
particularly in rural centres explained Kris Prasad, FWRM’s Human Rights
Training officer: “The women continue to address challenges as being first responders but are
not recognised in the different roles that they play”
“A woman living in a rural area her...average weekly income in a rural area
would be $49.50 and for a woman in the urban area it would be $55.12. We also “There is still less representation of women, young women and people living
looked at the costs of justice as well on how much it costs for women to initiate with disabilities in decision-making and leadership roles.”
a case in the court and we found that on average it takes about $50. Some “Women are already involved in the community development, they are there at
women have to make the decision whether they actually initiate a case or they that [community] level and women are already first responders, a few of the
actually feed the children.” women are already recognised in the clubs that they lead, women are already
The project “Balancing the Scales: Improving Access to Justice for Fijian recognised in the community that they are good at what they do especially in
Women” was officially launched in 2016 and is funded by the European Union. their leadership,” Tuvuki highlighted.
The aim of the project is to enhance understanding of women’s rights in relation “If we are recognised as first responders, as good women leaders, why can’t
to justice, particularly marginalised and minority groups of women. we have the opportunity to take up position as advisory councillors and turaga-
As an implementing partner of the project, femLINKpacific initiated the ‘Ask a ni-koros?”
Lawyer’ radio series in collaboration with the Fiji Women Lawyers Association Tuvuki added that in order to empower women in the community, the
(FWLA) which provides pro-bono advice and information based on questions a opportunity to do so must be created and this means having stakeholders work
and issues raised from the Rural Women Leaders Community Media Network. with established networks on the ground.
The radio series airs on FemTALK 89FM Suva and Labasa. “The Department of Women really needs to work with the NGOs and really need
to work with women leaders in the community, recognise the women leaders
Call for Recognition of Women’s Leadership in the community, take up their grievances, take up their recommendations and
that way we will be able to achieve the 50/50 percent of participation.”
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Campaign is an annual
“For members of my group when we mention gender equality what comes event commemorated from November 25 –December 10. This year the theme
out from their mouth is inclusiveness [and] protection with dignity,” says was “End Gender Based Violence in the World of Work”
A Media initiative supported by

Islands Business, January 2019 23