Could Fiji’s Proposed Men’s Department End Family Violence by Healing Masculinity?

Fiji is grappling with a significant crisis concerning the well-being of men in society, asserts Tamalesi Kalokalo, a family advocate based in London. She describes many men in Fiji as living emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and culturally broken lives, emphasizing the absence of a structured system dedicated to their healing and restoration.

Kalokalo is the founder of the UK-based iTaukei Legacy platform, which aims to provide cultural education and empower communities to tackle various social issues. She highlights that without addressing the underlying issues faced by men—such as trauma, anger, and identity crises—the cycle of family violence and abuse, particularly against women and children, will continue unabated.

“You can bandage the wounded every day, but if the root source—men’s behavior—remains unaddressed, the cycle of violence will not stop,” Kalokalo stated. She advocates for the establishment of a ‘Men’s Department’ focused on essential areas like fatherhood training, leadership development, anger management, mental health counseling, addiction support, and cultural mentoring.

Kalokalo points out that Fiji’s patriarchal structure means the degradation of male figures leads to the collapse of families, villages, and ultimately the nation. To combat this, she proposed creating a Department of National Fatherhood, Masculinity & Family Leadership, which would focus on healing perpetrators and shaping future generations, thereby complementing the existing Ministry for Women that protects victims.

She firmly believes that while it is crucial to protect frontline services for women—who make up the bulk of violence victims—there must also be initiatives aimed at men to reduce violence effectively. “Fiji cannot reduce violence if it focuses only on the victim and never on the source,” she asserted, stressing that both fronts need attention to truly mitigate the country’s challenges surrounding domestic violence.

Kalokalo’s perspective sheds light on a critical facet of social reform in Fiji, advocating for a balanced approach to addressing the complexities of gender-based violence, fostering healing and empowerment in both men and women within their communities.