About the NAP
Introduction
In 2020 Fiji embarked on an historic mission to develop a National Action Plan (NAP) to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls (2021-2026), making it the first Pacific Island Country, and one of the only two countries globally along with Australia, to have a whole of government and whole of community, inclusive, evidence-based approach to prevent violence against women and girls.
The Ministry of Women Children and Poverty Alleviation (MWCPA) is leading on a series of national consultations across Fiji in partnership with the Technical Working Group, government, civil society, and community stakeholders including representatives from the 13 settings key settings in Fiji to prevent VAWG.
The national consultations are designed to inform the whole of government and whole of community, evidence-based, measurable, inclusive, and funded five-year National Action Plan.
2.1 Goals & Objectives of the National Consultations
Goal
A National Action Plan which is informed by experience, knowledge and expertise across diverse communities and settings in Fiji
Objectives
Generating high level findings that will inform the development of the National Action Plan
Enabling diverse stakeholders to provide advice, expertise, and information
Strengthening relationships & promoting engagement & ownership
2.2 13 KEY SETTINGS FOR PREVENTION OF VAWG IN FIJI
The national consultations plan will target 13 key settings in Fiji who can prevent violence against women and girls through their setting.
It aims to consult with at least 2,500 women, men, and youth in all their diversities from across the 13 priority settings in Fiji to prevent VAWG. Diverse women, LBT women, women living with disabilities, women in rural and remote areas, women from all ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds will be consulted.
As gender inequality and violence against women (VAWG) and girls affects all parts of Fijian society, everyone has a role to play in preventing VAWG and promoting gender equality. The different environments in which people live, work, learn, socialise, pray and play will be the key settings for prevention activities.
The table below outlines the 13 key settings for prevention in Fiji that will be engaged as part of the national consultation process. These settings will also be central to the NAP in terms of key actions for implementation.
How will the NAP consultations happen and who will be involved?
Thirteen key prevention sectors have been identified to be part of the national consultation process. A mixed-method approach will be used to ensure Fijians are able to contribute with ease and the process is inclusive, such as 1-2-day workshops, focus groups, through social media, and so on.
The 13 sectors include:
The consultation process will be inclusive and include lesbian, bisexual and trans women; women with disabilities; women in rural and remote areas; adolescent girls; and women from all diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds.
2.4 Expected outcomes of the National Consultations
The following are the intended outcomes for the national consultations with the 13 key settings in Fiji.
a) A shared understanding as a nation on ‘Why’ VAWG happens in Fiji, its root causes and contributing factors
b) A shared agreement of ‘What’ actions and strategies are essential in each key setting to address the root cause and contributing factors of VAWG in Fiji.
c) A shared agreement on the roles and responsibilities that different stakeholders might play in implementing the National
Action Plan strategies/actions in their setting
d) A shared agreement on the kinds of support (skilled workforce, coordination mechanisms, leadership, and finances among others) that will be necessary to make the National Action plan effective in each setting
2.5 Key stakeholders to be consulted from each setting
Stakeholders are key people from within each setting in Fiji as well as in the community. A cross section of key stakeholders from within each setting/sector to include:
Leaders in specific settings and sectors
Policy makers in relevant government agencies
Specialist services responding to domestic violence and sexual assault
Women’s organisations, networks and others working on gender equality and VAWG
Non-government organisations working with or on behalf of women, Indigenous communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, people living with a disability, and LGBTQI communities.
Academics and researchers
Community stakeholders can include:
Young people (aged 16-30).
Older people.
LGBTQI.
People living with disabilities.
Community groups and societies.
Single parent families.
Faith groups (from a range of different faiths).
People employed in the community.
Sex workers.
Local businesses.
Minority ethnic groups.
Turanga ni Koro and village health workers.
Traditional leaders; Advisory councils / i-Taukei Affairs and persons of influence.
Families
3 Guiding Principles
The National Consultations in Fiji will be guided by the following principles.
Inclusivity and Diversity: the approach will engage a broad range of stakeholders. This means a wide range of people across the country, from different settings/sectors and population groups at all levels and divisions in Fiji will be consulted. This includes women living with disabilities, elderly women, LGBTQ communities, remote and rural women, and stakeholders (e.g. eastern division, interior of Fiji, informal settlements), language (e.g. different ethnic groups from marginalised communities), young people, and other vulnerable groups.
An Intersectional frame will also be used to understand the dynamics of how different factors that make up a person’s identity interact and shape their experiences, recognising that inequalities are never the result of one distinct factor.
Advance partnership and coordination: working across and with government, civil society, development partners and community groups.
4 National Talanoa Approach & Process
The national consultations will use a shared approach, one built around workshop discussions, small group exercises, and whole group talanoa to share key information with stakeholders and reach a shared agreement and consensus. The goal is to facilitate open discussion on the problem of VAWG in Fiji and validate what each key setting can do to prevent violence against women and girls.
What we want to share with key stakeholders from each setting:
What is Fiji’s National Action plan, process, and approach to its development
‘Why’ VAWG happens in Fiji, its root causes and contributing factors
‘What” Essential to prevent VAWG are needed to impact the underlying root causes & contributing factors of VAWG in Fiji.
The national outcomes Fiji’s National Action plan aims to achieve
‘Where’ prevention work can be implemented (13 key settings in Fiji)
The role of each key setting in preventing VAWG and evidence base that exists on ‘what works to prevent violence against women and girls in that setting
‘How’ prevention work is best implemented through specific strategies and actions to address the root causes & contributing factors of VAWG.
What we want to ask each setting (Talanoa)
Which key strategies and actions (the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of prevention) are best suited for their setting in Fiji
The roles and responsibilities that different stakeholders might play in implementing the national action plan strategies/actions in their setting
The kinds of supports that will be necessary to make the National Action plan effective in their setting (e.g. skilled workforce, building on existing work etc)
