Seven contestants are set to vie for the 2024 Miss Nasinu Carnival title in the upcoming fortnight. One of the participants, Vinaina Marawa, aims to focus her platform on raising awareness about domestic violence in homes and communities.
Ms. Marawa is dedicated to leveraging the week-long carnival to address this critical issue. Fiji faces concerning statistics regarding violence against women, with reports indicating that two-thirds of women in the country experience physical or sexual violence from intimate partners at some point in their lives. Additionally, 60 percent of women encounter distressing situations at home due to a lack of support and instances of abuse.
Representing the Nasinu Town Council, Ms. Marawa brings prior pageantry experience, having participated in the Hibiscus Festival’s Teen category at just 18 years of age. She views events like the Nasinu Carnival as valuable opportunities to serve her community with dignity and pride, stating that her participation goes beyond looks and attire; it is about representing her community’s values.
During the carnival, she intends to channel her efforts into advocacy and effecting change on a national scale, expressing her eagerness to use her voice for this important cause. Ms. Marawa believes that change starts at home, drawing from her own experiences as the eldest of eight siblings raised by a single mother. She reflects on the considerable responsibilities she had to shoulder, balancing household duties along with her education, and credits her mother’s steadfast support for making her journey fulfilling.
At this year’s Nasinu Carnival, the young woman from Kadavu plans to utilize her platform to promote change and raise awareness for domestic violence issues.