Latest news with #NaliniSingh
Scoop
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Feminist Leaders Challenge GBV Policy Paper That Recentres Patriarchy And Undermines Survivor-Centred Approaches
Fijian feminist leaders from the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC) and Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM) are raising strong concerns over a recent policy paper titled 'Masculinities and Gender-based Violence in Fiji: The Perceptions of iTaukei Men' by Avelina Rokoduru. The paper, published under the New Zealand Pacific Gender Research Portal, has prompted concerns for recentering patriarchal narratives, minimising survivors' voices, and misrepresenting feminism as incompatible with Pacific contexts. While it is important to engage men in efforts to end gender-based violence (GBV), feminist advocates argue that this paper, which contains perspectives of only 31 men, dangerously prioritises male discomfort over survivor safety and accountability. It positions feminist approaches as ineffective and even obstructive—despite decades of proven leadership by women's rights organisations in Fiji and the Pacific. 'Feminism is not an external import—it is deeply rooted in the Pacific and led by women who have long worked within our cultures, faiths, and values to end violence,' said Nalini Singh, Executive Director of FWRM. 'To frame feminist work as a barrier to national policy is not only misleading—it is dangerous.' The paper argues that Fiji's GBV response has been hindered by a feminist lens that centres survivors, and suggests policy should be reshaped to reflect men's perspectives and their resistance to current gender discourses. We argue this is a regressive move that reinscribes patriarchy—a system where male dominance is normalised, and women's experiences are devalued. In reality, feminist-led organisations such as the FWCC, FWRM and DIVA for Equality, and others have driven the most robust national data collection and service delivery on GBV, including the landmark prevalence studies by FWCC (Somebody's Life, Everybody's Business: National Research on Women's Health and Life Experiences in Fiji (2010/2011)) and DIVA for Equality ('Unjust, Unequal, Unstoppable: Fiji LBT women and gender non-conforming people tipping the scales toward justice' (2022)). Yet the paper falsely implies that feminists have prevented data collection on perpetrators, deflecting attention away from state institutions that remain underfunded or uncoordinated. The paper also frames gender equality as a 'Western' concept, ignoring the long history of Pacific women who have embedded gender justice within cultural, Indigenous, and spiritual frameworks. Feminists caution that such framing can serve to reinforce patriarchal power under the guise of cultural authenticity. Critically, the paper fails to apply an intersectional lens, excluding voices of LGBTQI+ individuals, women with disabilities, rural and young women—those most affected by GBV and most neglected in state responses. The paper also uses terms like "incompatibility" and "communication breakdown" to explain GBV, rather than clearly naming power and patriarchy as root causes of violence. 'Gender-based violence is about power, not culture,' said Shamima Ali, Coordinator of FWCC. 'Culture can be a tool of healing or harm—what matters is whether it protects rights and promotes safety. This paper sadly reinforces the idea that addressing GBV means making men feel comfortable, rather than making women and survivors feel safe.' Feminist networks across the Pacific are calling for renewed focus on survivor-centred, intersectional, and anti-patriarchal policies that address the root causes of violence. They stress the need for stronger investment in feminist research, movement-building, and structural reform—not a return to systems that normalise male control. 'We cannot end GBV by reinforcing the same patriarchal logic that created it,' said Nalini Singh. 'We need political courage to move forward—not policy dressed up in gendered neutrality that quietly protects the status quo.' The one useful contribution the paper makes is that it reinforces what has been said by Fijian and Pacific feminists, but purely anecdotally, and makes no new findings. Feminist advocates are urging everyone to: • Recognise and respect the leadership of Pacific feminist and survivor-led organisations; • Ensure future research on GBV is grounded in intersectional and rights-based frameworks; • Reject narratives that pit masculinities against feminism; and • Name and dismantle patriarchy in both policy and practice.
Scoop
01-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Break The Silence On Periods, Change Mindsets
Press Release – Fiji Women's Rights Movement The annual event, with almost 180 participants from different communities around Suva, is a platform used to share awareness and information about menstruation and its related issues. Let us break the silence, change mindsets and start openly talking about periods. This was the sentiment shared today at the Fiji Women's Rights Movement Let's Talk Periods festival held in Suva to mark World Menstrual Health Day this week. Opening the event, FWRM Governance Board Chair called for an end to the stigma on periods and advocating for better WASH facilities in schools. The annual event, with almost 180 participants from different communities around Suva, is a platform used to share awareness and information about menstruation and its related issues. 'Whatever that is held as taboo does not make sense now – times have changed. We need to talk about periods, we need to make our voices louder so that we can have respectable dignified experiences when we get our periods and unless we have those open and honest conversations, we are never going to come out of this cycle of stigmatising periods. It is our responsibility to ensure that our menstrual needs and health is well taken care of,' FWRM Executive Director Nalini Singh said. Ms Singh made the remarks during an intergenerational panel facilitated during the programme that included shared experiences from panelists in their different stages of the menstrual cycle. 'Periods are normal. It is natural. It is your body talking to you. If you don't get your period, then you know something is wrong. It is not something you should be ashamed of, it's a living breathing rhythm that reminds me of the fact that I am a woman,' said Jessica Work, International Planned Parenthood Fiji representative. Another panelist, Shurti Sharma, a graduate of FWRM's (GIRLS) Program highlighted the need for schools to integrate menstrual health and hygiene learning in the curriculum. 'Make safe spaces in schools for students to talk openly about menstruation and the experiences you go through. A lot of the times, teachers are often shying away from these conversations and the risk is messages and information are often not being shared accurately, 'Shurti said. FWRM believes in more awareness and information on sexual and reproductive health in our educational curriculums, especially targeted towards our girls. Comprehensive Sexuality Education would ensure that topics such as menstrual health and hygiene is delivered in a much more effective way. Other issues raised during the event was the need to provide free menstrual products and to avail them in schools, restrooms, prisons and other public places; the removal of the shame of being on your period and the need for men to attend such events to learn more about women's bodies and to understand the experiences women have with their periods. The programme included partners who collaborated with FWRM to open up booths for information sharing and awareness on a range of issues such as menstrual health and hygiene, myths, taboos, reproductive health, bodily autonomy and more. Let's Talk Periods 2025 was supported by the Australian Government in partnership with Pacific Menstrual Health Network and Water Aid. 'It begins with us. Those of you who have come here, you have probably come with younger members of your families. It is up to you now to go back and have conversations about normalising periods beginning from your homes,'Ms Singh added.
Scoop
01-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Break The Silence On Periods, Change Mindsets
Let us break the silence, change mindsets and start openly talking about periods. This was the sentiment shared today at the Fiji Women's Rights Movement Let's Talk Periods festival held in Suva to mark World Menstrual Health Day this week. Opening the event, FWRM Governance Board Chair called for an end to the stigma on periods and advocating for better WASH facilities in schools. The annual event, with almost 180 participants from different communities around Suva, is a platform used to share awareness and information about menstruation and its related issues. 'Whatever that is held as taboo does not make sense now - times have changed. We need to talk about periods, we need to make our voices louder so that we can have respectable dignified experiences when we get our periods and unless we have those open and honest conversations, we are never going to come out of this cycle of stigmatising periods. It is our responsibility to ensure that our menstrual needs and health is well taken care of,' FWRM Executive Director Nalini Singh said. Ms Singh made the remarks during an intergenerational panel facilitated during the programme that included shared experiences from panelists in their different stages of the menstrual cycle. 'Periods are normal. It is natural. It is your body talking to you. If you don't get your period, then you know something is wrong. It is not something you should be ashamed of, it's a living breathing rhythm that reminds me of the fact that I am a woman,' said Jessica Work, International Planned Parenthood Fiji representative. Another panelist, Shurti Sharma, a graduate of FWRM's (GIRLS) Program highlighted the need for schools to integrate menstrual health and hygiene learning in the curriculum. 'Make safe spaces in schools for students to talk openly about menstruation and the experiences you go through. A lot of the times, teachers are often shying away from these conversations and the risk is messages and information are often not being shared accurately, 'Shurti said. FWRM believes in more awareness and information on sexual and reproductive health in our educational curriculums, especially targeted towards our girls. Comprehensive Sexuality Education would ensure that topics such as menstrual health and hygiene is delivered in a much more effective way. Other issues raised during the event was the need to provide free menstrual products and to avail them in schools, restrooms, prisons and other public places; the removal of the shame of being on your period and the need for men to attend such events to learn more about women's bodies and to understand the experiences women have with their periods. The programme included partners who collaborated with FWRM to open up booths for information sharing and awareness on a range of issues such as menstrual health and hygiene, myths, taboos, reproductive health, bodily autonomy and more. Let's Talk Periods 2025 was supported by the Australian Government in partnership with Pacific Menstrual Health Network and Water Aid. 'It begins with us. Those of you who have come here, you have probably come with younger members of your families. It is up to you now to go back and have conversations about normalising periods beginning from your homes,'Ms Singh added.
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Fiji: Patriarchy Is The Root Cause Of Violence
Press Release – Fiji Women's Rights Movement FWRM calls for more constructive dialogue on how to address violence and create a safe environment for the vulnerable in our households, especially for victims/survivors of abuse. FWRM strongly demands that our leaders refrain from making frivolous, careless and uninformed statements that further perpetuate acts of violence. We also remind them of the root cause of violence that is clearly stated in the Fiji National Action Plan (NAP) to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls 2023-2028 – patriarchy! Implying that men are highly inclined to commit violence due to unhealed trauma and financial struggles not only shifts the responsibility away from the perpetrators but also puts vulnerable members of our communities at risk, especially women and children who may already be experiencing abuse at home. 'Domestic violence stems from the choice to use power and control over another person. The cause of violence is rooted in patriarchy that reinforces societal norms and gender inequality that tolerates abuse against women. Our leaders need to learn and understand the roots of gender-based violence and its far-reaching consequences as it impacts not just on the women and children but whole communities and societies,' FWRM Executive Director, Nalini Singh said. FWRM calls for more constructive dialogue on how to address violence and create a safe environment for the vulnerable in our households, especially for victims/survivors of abuse. According to FWRM research, women who have faced violence experienced barriers accessing justice due to legal, financial, geographical or practical barriers. Our leaders need to be more focused on ensuring that justice systems are accessible, responsive and victim-friendly, and they must tackle the root causes of violence. FWRM looks forward to the further implementation of strategies in the Fiji NAP, which also fosters collaboration between all stakeholders. We also call for a clear, unapologetic focus on ending gender-based violence through a human rights approach, one that demands accountability, addresses trauma, and dismantles the systems that allow violence to thrive. Violence against women in Fiji is rife. We need to act now!
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Fiji: Patriarchy Is The Root Cause Of Violence
Press Release – Fiji Women's Rights Movement FWRM calls for more constructive dialogue on how to address violence and create a safe environment for the vulnerable in our households, especially for victims/survivors of abuse. FWRM strongly demands that our leaders refrain from making frivolous, careless and uninformed statements that further perpetuate acts of violence. We also remind them of the root cause of violence that is clearly stated in the Fiji National Action Plan (NAP) to Prevent Violence Against All Women and Girls 2023-2028 – patriarchy! Implying that men are highly inclined to commit violence due to unhealed trauma and financial struggles not only shifts the responsibility away from the perpetrators but also puts vulnerable members of our communities at risk, especially women and children who may already be experiencing abuse at home. 'Domestic violence stems from the choice to use power and control over another person. The cause of violence is rooted in patriarchy that reinforces societal norms and gender inequality that tolerates abuse against women. Our leaders need to learn and understand the roots of gender-based violence and its far-reaching consequences as it impacts not just on the women and children but whole communities and societies,' FWRM Executive Director, Nalini Singh said. FWRM calls for more constructive dialogue on how to address violence and create a safe environment for the vulnerable in our households, especially for victims/survivors of abuse. According to FWRM research, women who have faced violence experienced barriers accessing justice due to legal, financial, geographical or practical barriers. Our leaders need to be more focused on ensuring that justice systems are accessible, responsive and victim-friendly, and they must tackle the root causes of violence. FWRM looks forward to the further implementation of strategies in the Fiji NAP, which also fosters collaboration between all stakeholders. We also call for a clear, unapologetic focus on ending gender-based violence through a human rights approach, one that demands accountability, addresses trauma, and dismantles the systems that allow violence to thrive. Violence against women in Fiji is rife. We need to act now!
