Shania Shayal Prasad 
Concerns have been raised regarding the issue of inadequate housing options for women facing abuse due to a lack of safe, accessible shelters and long-term support systems.
Fiji Women’s Crisis Center states that many women are forced to return to abusive homes due to this reason.
Coordinator Shamima Ali adds while shelters offer temporary shelters, however, they are not a permanent solution, and women need permanent housing to break free from the cycle of violence.
“So when relatives take them in, we also support them with basic needs, food, pay some bills and things like that. We also work with the public rental board to be able to house women, but this can be only women who are in paid employment.”
Ali says in many cases, the centre has to cover the cost of housing to ensure women’s safety.
She stresses that without affordable housing, women remain vulnerable, sometimes facing severe consequences like injury or death from staying in abusive environments.
