The Fiji Young Women’s Forum (FYWF) supports the global campaign ‘One Billion Rising – Revolution’, the biggest call to action to end violence against women and girls in human history.
Launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, the campaign is based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. Fiji’s rates of violence against women and girls are among the very highest in the world with 43 women injured every day, as a result of domestic violence. Of these women, one will be permanently disabled and 10 will lose consciousness due to the severity of the beating.
The appalling statistics speaks for themselves and we need to demand justice for both the victims and survivors of violence. Fiji’s patriarchal culture has normalised violence against women and girls and we challenge everyone to stop accepting violence against women as normal behaviour. It is a criminal act.
We are challenging the status quo. We are challenging you to join us in the revolution to demand an end to all forms of discrimination against women and girls. We are challenging you to revolutionise the norms and attitudes towards women and girls.
The Fiji Young Women’s Forum invites you to join us for a flash mob at MHCC in Suva tomorrow at 3pm, February 14th, 2015 as we challenge all Fijians to revolt against this perpetuating culture, for our right to equal opportunities, respect and safety at all levels of our life. Violence against women and girls is a constitutional concern. It is everybody’s concern.
The Fiji Women’s Young Women’s Forum (FYWF) is co-convened by the Emerging Leaders Forum Alumni (ELFA), Diverse Voices and Action for Equality (DIVA), Young Women Producers and Broadcasters- FemLINKPACIFIC and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA).
The Forum has engaged approximately 102 young women leaders and activists aged 18 – 35 years from around Fiji in 3 national forums, to discuss barriers and strategies to young women’s meaningful political participation and representation in Fiji’s democratisation process, in the 2014 elections and beyond.
We wish to reaffirm our position in working towards ending all forms of violence against women and girls. The Forum continues to lobby for stronger legislative framework to protect women, and persists with the political will and action towards implementing serious change.
So join us and be part of the revolution! Be part of this world-wide movement as women, men, girls, boys, young and old unite to express their outrage, strike, dance, and RISE in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women.
PRESS RELEASE