Fiji: Minister Champions Thursdays in Black Campaign as Violence Statistics Highlight Urgency
Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, reaffirmed support for the international Thursdays in Black campaign in Parliament, urging all Fijians to wear black every Thursday to stand in solidarity with survivors of rape and violence and to send a clear message that gender-based violence will not be tolerated in any form.
Kiran said wearing black serves to amplify survivors’ voices, challenge the culture of silence, and push for a world free from violence, fear, and discrimination. She underscored that every life lost to domestic violence is one too many, noting that four women and one man have already lost their lives to intimate partner violence in 2025.
Referencing the Fiji Police Force’s crime statistics for June 2025, she highlighted a 28 percent rise in sexual offences, with 60 percent of victims under 18 years old. Crimes against children increased by eight percent, with more than half of cases involving sexual abuse and nearly a quarter occurring within family homes. Domestic violence remains widespread, often perpetrated by those closest to the victim. She thanked Members of Parliament for displaying support by wearing awareness pins or black on Thursday, calling on faith leaders, business executives, and community leaders to speak out and foster zero tolerance for violence in homes and communities.
Kiran also drew attention to the Fiji Women’s Economic Empowerment National Action Plan (WEENAP) for 2025-2030, a whole-of-government initiative designed to empower women and girls in all their diversity to define and achieve full, equitable economic empowerment. The plan aims to increase participation, leadership, agency, and access to resources, underpinned by inclusive policy and a safe, enabling environment.
The WEENAP framework grew out of a high-level advisory workshop on Women’s Economic Empowerment held in April 2023, organized by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection. The workshop brought together about 50 experts and leaders from diverse sectors to identify shared challenges and opportunities facing women and girls and to chart a path forward.
Discussions during the campaign emphasized the multifaceted roles women in Fiji play—as leaders, workers, producers, and entrepreneurs—and the obstacles they still face at individual, household, and institutional levels. Among these are navigating abusive relationships, managing caregiving duties, confronting the impacts of climate change, and dismantling restrictive social norms and institutional barriers that hinder economic participation.
Kiran reiterated that the WEENAP plan seeks to give women the autonomy to pursue economic empowerment through greater participation, leadership, agency, and access to resources, supported by inclusive policy and a safe environment. She stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, faith-based groups, and international partners to bring about lasting change. Her message carried a note of hope and determination for a Fiji where women and children can thrive free from fear and violence.
Additional context and value for readers:
– The Thursdays in Black campaign is presented as a practical, weekly public commitment to address gender-based violence, reinforcing that community action and visibility matter alongside policy measures.
– The statistics cited by the minister paint a urgent picture for child protection and the need for robust prevention, reporting, and support services.
– WEENAP represents a long-term, policy-driven approach to economic empowerment, recognizing that safety and dignity are closely tied to women’s ability to participate fully in the economy and society.
What to watch next:
– Follow-up parliamentary discussions on strategies to reduce violence and improve survivor services.
– Developments in the WEENAP 2025-2030 implementation, including potential policy reforms and targeted programs to support women’s leadership and economic participation.
– Community-led prevention initiatives and partnerships that translate awareness into concrete changes in homes and neighborhoods.
Summary: The minister’s statements underscore a dual approach to tackling gender-based violence in Fiji: mobilizing communities through the Thursdays in Black campaign and pursuing systemic change through WEENAP to empower women economically, with alarming 2025 statistics that call for immediate and sustained action. The overarching message is one of hope and commitment to a safer, more inclusive Fiji.
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