Partner organization of WCCC, the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, held their annual retreat for 2011 at Yatule Beach Resort, Nadi, Fiji.
WCCC Community Education Trainer Lesila To’ia was in attendance.
“It was a great time of bonding, mentoring and learning from each other. We analyzed past and present problems and planned how we could work together to improve and overcome these issues.”
Topics covered at the retreat included the Centre’s Code of Conduct, the United Nation Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women, the portrayal of women in media, and dealing with challenges to service provision.
“To me personally, the main barriers and challenges are the society’s attitudes to this issue. Some people do not want to talk about it, see it as private matters. And even some people deny that it happens. There is also a weak side from the law for even though the decrees and acts are there but they are not enforced. There is a need for proper legislations and the justice system to ensure that they are effective”, Lesila said.
The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre has been for over 20 years, with the newest branch opening in the northern part of Fiji, Rakiraki Women’s Crisis Centre (RWCC). They work closely with the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement to promote the empowerment of women in the Pacific.
