JOINT STATEMENT BY FWCC AND FWRM ON NOMINATION OF PITA WISE

18 Oct, 2024

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The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement are calling on the Coalition Government and the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to withdraw the nomination of Pita Wise to be Fiji’s Ambassador to Japan.

“Without questioning the fundamental right to the presumption of innocence, the nomination of a man accused of sexual harassment reminds us how sexual violence is normalized and minimized, including at the highest levels of the state where perpetrators continue to be rewarded. It furthers the narrative that people in power can continue to do whatever they want without repercussions” said FWCC Coordinator Shamima Ali.

Is this the message this Coalition Government is sending to the one in five women in Fiji who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.

For over five years – all of Government and civil society came together to develop the National Action Plan to Prevent All Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls. The actions by the Coalition Government and Prime Minister are counter-productive to this sterling national effort to end the scourge of violence against women and girls in Fiji..

We have been so proud of the fact that we were one of the first two countries in the world that had ratified the ILO Convention C190 on violence and harassment. However, we have failed to fulfil our obligations under this convention as well CEDAW. This seems more tokenistic.

How many more women need to be murdered, raped, and sexually harassed for our leaders and all of us to say – ENOUGH is ENOUGH. To recognise and agree that patriarchy embedded in society is the root cause of violence against women and girls, we need to examine male behaviour and society’s responsibility. We all need to be on the same page.

“We want the Public Service Commission to clearly disclose if they continued with a thorough investigation despite Pita Wise’s voluntary resignation or was the voluntary resignation part of a concocted plan between the PSC and the Prime Minister to allow Wise to evade accountability,” adds Ali.

What kind of support and protection has the PSC and the PM’s Office provided to the survivor?

“If our leaders do nothing, they will foster a culture where sexual harassment and forms of violence will continue against all women and girls. This will not create an environment where more survivors will come forward with complaints. There must be justice for the survivors and victims. The Prime Minister and the Government have proclaimed support for gender equality, but this is clearly nothing but lip service” adds FWRM Executive Director Nalini Singh.

We also urge the media to take a more proactive stance, pick up these issues, enquire about the complaint and speak from the survivor’s point of view. The media should not fear asking the critical questions.

After every case of murder, rape or sexual harassment of a woman, many friends, relatives, and colleagues say they all knew about it. If you know of anyone who is undergoing violence against women and girls, please encourage her to seek help. Call the National Domestic Violence toll-free helpline 1560 which is available on any network for 24 hours and encourage her to seek help and support.

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