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The Tui Macuata Ratu Wiliame Katonivere has made a commitment to ending violence against women in his province.
Ratu Wiliame was speaking at the conclusion of the workshop facilitated by Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and funded by UNDP for 20 officers.
Macuata’s paramount chief said the police had his support in the work to eliminate violence against women in his province.
He said the law and human rights overrode tradition and culture.
The province’s chiefs have been advised they all needed to make a stand against rape, child abuse and other gender-based violence.
“I told them that it’s about time [we did something about it],” Ratu Wiliame said, adding that he understood the tensions between culture and tradition, and human rights and the law.
He spoke of how in one of his villages a traditional apology was offered to a rape victim’s family by the perpetrator’s family and the incident was swept under the carpet.
“But I told them we must not condone it. We need to let the law take its course,” Ratu Wiliame said.
He also encouraged NGOs to take advantage of the provincial office in Macuatu to get the message out about this growing social issue.
Twenty station officers and leaders of units and formations from Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Rabi underwent an intensive five-day workshop aimed at helping them understand the dynamics of gender and violence against women.
The workshop was also to prepare these influential people on how to respond sensitively and appropriately to survivors reporting domestic violence and sexual offences.
Twenty station officers and leaders of units and formations from Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Rabi underwent an intensive five-day workshop aimed at helping them understand the dynamics of gender and violence against women, as well as how to respond sensitively and appropriately to survivors reporting domestic violence and sexual offences.
FWCC Coordinator Shamima Ali thanked the officers that despite the topics of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and harassment and child abuse being uncomfortable topics, they had persevered and shown great willingness to improve their behaviour.
“The officers have taken on board all they have learnt this week on aspects of gender and violence against women and will hopefully begin to change they way the relate to women in their homes, workplace and community,” said Ms Ali.
This was the third in a series of four workshops for the top-ranked officers of the Fiji Police Force, sanctioned by the Police Commissioner, Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho.
Sonja Bachmann from UNDP said: “These trainings come at a critical time when the issue of eradicating violence against women and children has become a national issue.
“The public expects police officers to take effective action and the participation of police officers at the highest level shows their strong commitment to tackle this issue.”
The Tui Macuata Ratu Wiliame Katonivere has made a commitment to ending violence against women in his province.